II 


**» 


LAST   OF  THE  CHIEFS 


BOOKS  BY  JOSEPH  A.  AL/TSHELER 

THE  FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR  SERIES 
The  Hunters  of  the  Hills       The  Shadow  of  the  North 
The  Rulers   of   the   Lakes       The  Masters   of    the   Peaks 
The  Lords  of  the  Wild  The  Sun   of  Quebec 

THE  YOUNG  TRAILERS'  SERIES 
The  Young  Trailers  The  Free   Rangers 

The  Forest  Runners  The  Riflemen  of  the  Ohio 

The  Keepers  of  the  Trail         The  Scouts   of  the  Valley 
The  Eyes  of  the  Woods  The  Border  Watch 

THE  TEXAN   SERIES 

The  Texan  Star 
The  Texan   Scouts  The  Texan    Triumph 

THE  CIVIL  WAR  SERIES 

The  Guns    of    Bull    Run          The  Star  of  Gettysburg 
The  Guns    of    Shiloh  The  Rock  of  Chickamauga 

The  Scouts  of  Stonewall        The  Shades  of  the  Wilderness 
The  Sword  of  Antietam  The  Tree   of   Appomattox 

THE  GREAT  WEST   SERIES 
The  Lost   Hunters  The  Great  Sioux  Trail 

THE  WO  RID  WAR  SERIES 

The  Guns  of  Europe 
The  Forest  of  Swords  The  Hosts  of  the  Air 

BOOKS'  NOT  IN  SERIES 

Apache  Gold  A   Soldier   of   Manhattan 

The  Quest    of    the    Four          The   Sun   of   Saratoga 
The  Last   of  the   Chiefs  A  Herald  of  the  West 

In  Circling  Camps  The  Wilderness   Road 

The  Last  Rebel  My  Captive 

The   Candidate 


D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 
New  York  London 


'The  huge  gray  leader  leaped  at  the  fallen  boy." 

[Page  155.] 


The 
LAST  OF  THE   CHIEFS 

A  STORY  OF  THE  GREAT  SIOUX  WAR 

BY 
JOSEPH    A.    ALTSHELER 

AUTHOR  OF  "TELE  YOUNG  TBAILEBS." 
"THE  FOBEST  BUNNEBS,"  ETC. 


D.    APPLETON-CENTURY    COMPANY 

INCORPORATED 
NEW  YORK  LONDON 

1937 


COPYBIGHT,    1909,    BY 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 

All  rights  reserved.  This  book,  or  parts 
I  thereof,  must  not  be  reproduced  in  any 
Ifdrm  without  permission  of  the  publisher. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTEK  PAGE 

I. — THE  TRAIN       .       . 1 

II. — KING  BISON     .       .•  •     .       .       .      ..,--    * •'....      .       18 

III.— THE  PASS         .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .'      .       38 

IV. — TREASURE-TROVE     .       .       .       •       .       .        .        .       56 

V. — THE  LOST  VALLEY         ...       .       .       .  69 

VI. — CASTLE  HOWARD     .       ...       .       .       .       .       88 

VII. — AN  ANIMAL  PROGRESSION     .       .       .      '.       .       .       99 

VIII. — THE  TRAP  MAKERS 119 

IX. — THE  TIMBER  WOLVES    .......     137 

X. — DICK  GOES  SCOUTING 158 

XI. — THE  TERRIBLE  PURSUIT 181 

XII. — THE  FIGHT  WITH  NATURE    .....       .       .        .199 

XIII.— ALBERT'S  VICTORY  ...       .       .       .       .       .       .213 

XIV.— PRISONERS        .  229 

XV.— THE  INDIAN  VILLAGE    .       .       .       .       ...       .248 

XVI. — THE  GATHERING  OF  THE  Sioux  .....     262 

XVII.— THE  GREAT  SUN  DANCE 285 

XVIII. — THE  CIRCLE  OF  DEATH         ...       .        .        .     303 

XIX—  -A  HAPPY  MEETING        .       .       «       .       .       .       .315 

XX. — BRIGHT  SUN'S  GOOD-BY  326 


M23092 


THE  LAST  OF  THE   CHIEFS 


CHAPTER   I 

THE   TRAIN" 

THE  boy  in  the  third  wagon  was  suffering  frott 
exhaustion.  The  days  and  days  of  walking 
over  the  rolling  prairie,  under  a  brassy  sun,  the 
hard  food  of  the  train,  and  the  short  hours  of  rest,  had 
put  too  severe  a  trial  upon  his  delicate  frame.  Now,  as 
he  lay  against  the  sacks  and  boxes  that  had  been  drawn 
up  to  form  a  sort  of  couch  for  him,  his  breath  came  in 
short  gasps,  and  his  face  was  very  pale.  His  brother, 
older,  and  stronger  by  far,  who  walked  at  the  wheel, 
regarded  him  with  a  look  in  which  affection  and  intense 
anxiety  were  mingled.  It  was  not  a  time  and  place  in 
which  one  could  afford  to  be  ill. 

Richard  and  Albert  Howard  were  bound  together  by 
the  strongest  of  brotherly  ties.  Richard  had  inherited 
his  father's  bigness  and  powerful  constitution,  Albert 
his  mother's  slenderness  and  fragility.  But  it  was  the 
mother  who  lived  the  longer,  although  even  she  did  not 
attain  middle  age,  and  her  last  words  to  her  older  son 
were:  "  Richard,  take  care  of  Albert."  He  had  prom 
ised,  and  now  he  was  thinking  how  he  could  keep  the 
promise. 

1 


THE    LAST  OF    THE    CHIEFS 


It  was  a  terrible  problem  that  confronted  Richard 
Howard.  He  felt  no  fear  on  his  own  account.  A  boy  in 
years,  he  was  a  man  in  the  ability  to  care  for  himself, 
wherever  he  might  be.  In  a  boyhood  spent  on  an  Illinois 
farm,  where  the  prairies  slope  up  to  the  forest,  he  had 
learned  the  ways  of  wood  and  field,  and  was  full  of 
courage,  strength,  and  resource. 

But  Albert  was  different.  He  had  not  thrived  in  the 
moist  air  of  the  great  valley.  Tall  enough  he  was,  but 
the  width  of  chest  and  thickness  of  bone  were  lack 
ing.  Noticing  this,  the  idea  of  going  to  California  had 
come  to  the  older  brother.  The  great  gold  days  had 
passed  years  since,  but  it  was  still  a  land  of  enchant 
ment  to  the  youth  of  the  older  states,  and  the  long  jour 
ney  in  the  high,  dry  air  of  the  plains  would  be  good  for 
Albert.  There  was  nothing  to  keep  them  back.  They 
had  no  property  save  a  little  money — enough  for  their 
equipment,  and  a  few  dollars  over  to  live  on  in  Cali 
fornia  until  they  could  get  work. 

To  decide  was  to  start,  and  here  they  were  in  the 
middle  of  the  vast  country  that  rolled  away  west  of  the 
Missouri,  known  but  little,  and  full  of  dangers.  The 
journey  had  been  much  harder  than  the  older  boy  had 
expected.  The  days  stretched  out,  the  weeks  trailed 
away,  and  still  the  plains  rolled  before  them. 

The  summer  had  been  of  the  hottest,  and  the  heated 
earth  gave  back  the  glare  until  the  air  quivered  in 
torrid  waves.  Richard  had  drawn  back  the  cover  of 
the  wagon  that  his  brother  might  breathe  the  air,  but  he 
replaced  it  now  to  protect  him  from  the  overpowering 
beams.  Once  more  he  anxiously  studied  the  country, 

2 


THE    TRAIN 

but  it  gave  him  little  hope.  The  green  of  the  grass  was 
gone,  and  most  of  the  grass  with  it.  The  brown  un 
dulations  swept  away  from  horizon  to  horizon,  treeless, 
waterless,  and  bare.  In  all  that  vast  desolation  there 
was  nothing  save  the  tired  and  dusty  train  at  the  very 
center  of  it. 

11  Anything  in  sight,  Dick?  "  asked  Albert,  who  had 
followed  his  brother's  questioning  look. 

Dick  shook  his  head. 

"  Nothing,  Al,"  he  replied. 

* '  I  wish  we  'd  come  to  a  grove, ' '  said  the  sick  boy. 

He  longed,  as  do  all  those  who  are  born  in  the  hills, 
for  the  sight  of  trees  and  clear,  running  water. 

"  I  was  thinking,  Dick,"  he  resumed  in  short,  gasp 
ing  tones,  "  that  it  would  be  well  for  us,  just  as  the 
evening  was  coming  on,  to  go  over  a  swell  and  ride  right 
into  a  forest  of  big  oaks  and  maples,  with  the  finest  little 
creek  that  you  ever  saw  running  through  the  middle 
of  it.  It  would  be  pleasant  and  shady  there.  Leaves 
would  be  lying  about,  the  water  would  be  cold,  and 
maybe  we'd  see  elk  coming  down  to  drink." 

"  Perhaps  we'll  have  such  luck,  Al,"  said  Dick,  al 
though  his  tone  showed  no  hope.  But  he  added,  assum 
ing  a  cheerful  manner:  "  This  can't  go  on  forever;  we'll 
be  reaching  the  mountains  soon,  and  then  you'll  get 
well." 

"  How's  that  brother  of  yours?  No  better,  I  see, 
and  he's  got  to  ride  all  the  time  now,  making  more  load 
for  the  animals." 

It  was  Sam  Conway,  the  leader  of  the  train,  who 
spoke,  a  rough  man  of  middle  age,  for  whom  both  Dick 

3 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  Albert  had  acquired  a  deep  dislike.  Dick  flushed 
through  his  tan  at  the  hard  words. 

"If  he's  sick  he  has  the  right  to  ride/'  he  replied 
sharply.  "  We've  paid  our  share  for  this  trip  and 
maybe  a  little  more.  You  know  that." 

Conway  gave  him  an  ugly  look,  but  Dick  stood  up 
straight  and  strong,  and  met  him  eye  for  eye.  He  was 
aware  of  their  rights  and  he  meant  to  defend  them. 
Conway,  confronted  by  a  dauntless  spirit,  turned  away, 
muttering  in  surly  fashion: 

11  We  didn't  bargain  to  take  corpses  across  the 
plains." 

Fortunately,  the  boy  in  the  wagon  did  not  hear  him, 
and,  though  his  eyes  flashed  ominously,  Dick  said  noth 
ing.  It  was  not  a  time  for  quarreling,  but  it  was  often 
hard  to  restrain  one's  temper.  He  had  realized,  soon 
after  the  start,  when  it  was  too  late  to  withdraw,  that 
the  train  was  not  a  good  one.  It  was  made  up  mostly 
of  men.  There  were  no  children,  and  the  few  women, 
like  the  men,  were  coarse  and  rough.  Turbulent  scenes 
had  occurred,  but  Dick  and  Albert  kept  aloof,  steadily 
minding  their  own  business. 

"  What  did  Conway  say?  "  asked  Albert,  after  the 
man  had  gone. 

1 '  Nothing  of  any  importance.  He  was  merely  growl 
ing  as  usual.  He  likes  to  make  himself  disagreeable. 
I  never  saw  another  man  who  got  as  much  enjoyment 
out  of  that  sort  of  thing. ' ' 

Albert  said  nothing  more,  but  closed  his  eyes.  The 
canvas  cover  protected  him  from  the  glare  of  the  sun, 
but  seemed  to  hold  the  heat  within  it.  Drops  of  perepi- 

4 


THE    TRAIN 

ration  stood  on  his  face,  and  Dick  longed  for  the  moun 
tains,  for  his  brother's  sake. 

All  the  train  fell  into  a  sullen  silence,  and  no  sound 
was  heard  but  the  unsteady  rumble  of  the  wheels,  the 
creak  of  an  ungreased  axle,  and  the  occasional  crack 
of  a  whip.  Clouds  of  dust  arose  and  were  whipped  by 
the  stray  winds  into  the  faces  of  the  travelers,  the  fine 
particles  burning  like  hot  ashes.  The  train  moved  slow 
ly  and  heavily,  as  if  it  dragged  a  wounded  length  over 
the  hard  ground. 

Dick  Howard  kept  his  position  by  the  side  of  the 
wagon  in  which  his  brother  lay.  He  did  not  intend 
that  Albert  should  hear  bitter  words  leveled  at  his  weak- 
ness,  and  he  knew  that  his  own  presence  was  a  deter 
rent.  The  strong  figure  and  dauntless  port  of  the  older 
youth  inspired  respect.  Moreover,  he  carried  over  his 
shoulder  a  repeating  rifle  of  the  latest  pattern,  and 
his  belt  was  full  of  cartridges.  He  and  Albert  had 
been  particular  about  their  arms.  It  was  a  neces 
sity.  The  plains  and  the  mountains  were  subject  to 
all  the  dangers  of  Indian  warfare,  and  they  had  taken 
a  natural  youthful  pride  in  buying  the  finest  of 
weapons. 

The  hot  dust  burned  Dick  Howard's  face  and  crept 
into  his  eyes  and  throat.  His  tongue  lay  dry  in  his 
mouth.  He  might  have  ridden  in  one  of  the  wagons,  too, 
had  he  chosen.  As  he  truly  said,  he  and  Albert  had 
paid  their  full  share,  and,  in  the  labor  of  the  trail,  he 
was  more  efficient  than  anybody  else  in  the  train.  But 
his  pride  had  been  touched  by  Conway's  words.  He 
would  not  ride,  nor  would  he  show  any  signs  of  weak- 

5 


THE   LAST   OP   THE    CHIEFS 

ness.  He  strode  on  by  the  side  of  the  wagon,  head  erect, 
his  step  firm  and  springy. 

The  sun  crept  slowly  down  the  brassy  arch  of  the 
heavens,  and  the  glare  grew  less  blinding.  The  heat 
abated,  but  Albert  Howard,  who  had  fallen  asleep,  slept 
on.  His  brother  drew  a  blanket  over  him,  knowing  that 
he  could  not  afford  to  catch  cold,  and  breathed  the  cooler 
air  himself,  with  thankfulness.  Conway  came  back 
again,  and  was  scarcely  less  gruff  than  before,  although 
he  said  nothing  about  Albert. 

"  Bright  Sun  says  that  in  another  day  or  two  well 
be  seeing  mountains, ' '  he  vouchsafed ;  ' '  and  1 11  be  glad 
of  it,  because  then  we  11  be  coming  to  water  and  game. ' ' 

' '  I  'd  like  to  be  seeing  them  now, ' '  responded  Dick ; 
"  but  do  you  believe  everything  that  Bright  Sun  says?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do.  Hasn't  he  brought  us  along  all 
right  ?  "What  are  you  driving  at  ?  " 

His  voice  rose  to  a  challenging  tone,  in  full  accord 
ance  with  the  nature  of  the  man,  whenever  anyone  dis 
agreed  with  him,  but  Dick  Howard  took  not  the  least 
fear. 

"  I  don't  altogether  like  Bright  Sun,"  he  replied. 
"  Just  why,  I  can't  say,  but  the  fact  remains  that  I  don't 
like  him.  It  doesn't  seem  natural  for  an  Indian  to  be 
so  fond  of  white  people,  and  to  prefer  another  race  to 
Jiis  own." 

Conway  laughed  harshly. 

"  That  shows  how  much  you  know,"  he  said. 
"  Bright  Sun  is  smart,  smarter  than  a  steel  trap.  He 
knows  that  the  day  of  the  red  is  passing,  and  he's  going 
to  train  with  the  white.  What's  the  use  of  being  on 

6 


THE    TRAIN 

the  losing  side?  It's  what  I  say,  and  it's  what  Bright 
Sun  thinks." 

The  man's  manner  was  gross  and  materialistic,  so 
repellent  that  Dick  would  have  turned  away,  but  at  that 
moment  Bright  Sun  himself  approached.  Dick  re 
garded  him,  as  always,  with  the  keenest  interest  and 
curiosity  mixed  with  some  suspicion.  Yet  almost  any 
one  would  have  been  reassured  by  the  appearance  of 
Bright  Sun.  He  was  a  splendid  specimen  of  the  Indian, 
•although  in  white  garb,  even  to  the  soft  felt  hat  shad 
ing  his  face.  But  he  could  never  have  been  taken  for 
a  white  man.  His  hair  was  thick,  black,  and  coarse, 
his  skin  of  the  red  man's  typical  coppery  tint,  and  his 
cheek  bones  high  and  sharp.  His  lean  but  sinewy  and 
powerful  figure  rose  two  inches  above  six  feet.  There 
was  an  air  about  him,  too,  that  told  of  strength  other 
than  that  of  the  body.  Guide  he  was,  but  leader  he 
looked. 

"  Say,  Bright  Sun,"  exclaimed  Conway  coarsely, 
"  Dick  Howard  here  thinks  you're  too  friendly  with  the 
whites.  It  don't  seem  natural  to  him  that  one  of  your 
color  should  consort  so  freely  with  us." 

Dick's  face  flushed  through  the  brown,  and  he  shot 
an  angry  glance  at  Conway,  but  Bright  Sun  did  not 
seem  to  be  offended. 

"  Why  not?  "  he  asked  in  perfect  English.  "  I  was 
educated  in  a  mission  school.  I  have  been  with  white 
people  most  of  my  life,  I  have  read  your  books,  I  know 
your  civilization,  and  I  like  it." 

"  There  now!  "  exclaimed  Conway  triumphantly. 
"  Ain't  that  an  answer  for  you?  I  tell  you  what,  Bright 

7 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Sun,  I'm  for  you,  I  believe  in  you,  and  if  anybody  can 
take  us  through  all  right  to  California,  you're  the 
man." 

"  It  is  my  task  and  I  will  accomplish  it, ' '  said  Bright 
Sun  in  the  precise  English  he  had  learned  at  the  mis 
sion  school. 

His  eyes  met  Dick's  for  a  moment,  and  the  boy  saw 
there  a  flash  that  might  mean  many  things— defiance, 
primeval  force,  and  the  quality  that  plans  and  does. 
But  the  flash  was  gone  in  an  instant,  like  a  dying  spark, 
and  Bright  Sun  turned  away.  Conway  also  left,  but 
Dick's  gaze  followed  the  Indian. 

He  did  not  know  Bright  Sun's  tribe.  He  had  heard 
that  he  was  a  Sioux,  also  that  he  was  a  Crow,  and  a 
third  report  credited  him  with  being  a  Cheyenne.  As 
he  never  painted  his  face,  dressed  like  a  white  man,  and 
did  not  talk  of  himself  and  his  people,  the  curious  were 
free  to  surmise  as  they  chose.  But  Dick  was  sure  of 
one  thing :  Bright  Sun  was  a  man  of  power.  It  was  not 
a  matter  of  surmise,  he  felt  it  instinctively. 

The  tall  figure  of  the  Indian  was  lost  among  the  wag 
ons,  and  Dick  turned  his  attention  to  the  trail.  The 
cooling  waves  continued  to  roll  up,  as  the  west  red 
dened  into  a  brilliant  sunset.  Great  bars  of  crimson, 
then  of  gold,  and  the  shades  between,  piled  above  one 
another  on  the  horizon.  The  plains  lost  their  brown, 
and  gleamed  in  wonderful  shimmering  tints.  The  great 
desolate  world  became  beautiful. 

The  train  stopped  with  a  rumble,  a  creak,  and  a 
lurch,  and  the  men  began  to  unharness  the  animals.  Al 
bert  awoke  with  a  start  and  sat  up  in  the  wagon. 

8 


THE    TRAIN 

"  Night  and  the  camp,  Al,"  said  Dick  cheerfully; 
"  feel  better,  don't  you?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  replied  Albert,  as  a  faint  color  came 
into  his  face. 

' '  Thought  the  rest  and  the  coolness  would  brace  you 
up,"  continued  Dick  in  the  same  cheerful  tone. 

Albert,  a  tall,  emaciated  boy  with  a  face  of  great 
refinement  and  delicacy,  climbed  out  of  the  wagon  and 
looked  about.  Dick  busied  himself  with  the  work  of 
making  camp,  letting  Albert  give  what  help  he  could. 

But  Dick  always  undertook  to  do  enough  for  two— 
his  brother  and  himself — and  he  really  did  enough  for 
three.  No  other  was  so  swift  and  skillful  at  taking  the 
gear  off  horse  or  mule,  nor  was  there  a  stronger  or  read 
ier  arm  at  the  wheel  when  it  was  necessary  to  complete 
the  circle  of  wagons  that  they  nightly  made.  When  this 
was  done,  he  went  out  on  the  prairie  in  search  of  buffalo 
chips  for  the  fire,  which  he  was  fortunate  enough  to 
find  without  any  trouble. 

Before  returning  with  his  burden,  Dick  stood  a  few 
moments  looking  back  at  the  camp.  The  dusk  had  fully 
come,  but  the  fires  were  not  yet  lighted,  and  he  saw  only 
the  shadowy  forms  of  the  wagons  and  flitting  figures 
about  them.  But  much  talk  reached  his  ears,  most  of  it 
coarse  and  rough,  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  oaths. 
Dick  sighed.  His  regret  was  keener  than  ever  that 
Albert  and  he  were  in  such  company.  Then  he  looked 
the  other  way  out  upon  the  fathomless  plains,  where  the 
night  had  gathered,  and  the  wind  was  moaning  among 
the  swells.  The  air  was  now  chill  enough  t©  make  him 
shiver,  and  he  gazed  with  a  certain  awe  into  tne  black 

9 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

depths.  The  camp,  even  with  all  its  coarseness  and 
roughness,  was  better,  and  he  walked  swiftly  back  with 
his  load  of  fuel. 

They  built  a  dozen  fires  within  the  circle  of  the 
wagons,  and  again  Dick  was  the  most  active  and  indus 
trious  of  them  all,  doing  his  share,  Albert's,  and  some 
thing  besides.  When  the  fires  were  lighted  they  burned 
rapidly  and  merrily,  sending  up  great  tongues  of  red  or 
yellow  flame,  which  shed  a  flickering  light  over  wagons, 
animals,  and  men.  A  pleasant  heat  was  suffused  and 
Dick  began  to  cook  supper  for  Albert  and  himself,  bring 
ing  it  from  the  wagon  in  which  his  brother  and  he  had  a 
share.  He  fried  bacon  and  strips  of  dried  beef,  boiled 
coffee,  and  warmed  slices  of  bread  over  the  coals. 

He  saw  with  intense  pleasure  that  Albert  ate  with  a 
better  appetite  than  he  had  shown  for  days.  As  for 
himself,  he  was  as  hungry  as  a  horse — he  always  was 
on  this  great  journey— and  since  there  was  plenty,  he 
ate  long,  and  was  happy. 

Dick  went  to  the  wagon,  and  returned  with  a  heavy 
cloak,  which  he  threw  over  Albert's  shoulders. 

"  The  night's  getting  colder,"  he  said,  "  and  you 
mustn't  take  any  risks,  Al.  There's  one  trouble  about 
a  camp  fire  in  the  open — your  face  can  burn  while  your 
back  freezes." 

Content  fell  over  the  camp.  Even  rough  men  of  sav 
age  instincts  are  willing  to  lie  quiet  when  they  are 
warm  and  well  fed.  Jokes,  coarse  but  invariably  in 
good  humor,  were  exchanged.  The  fires  still  burned 
brightly,  and  the  camp  formed  a  core  of  light  and 
warmth  in  the  dark,  cold  wilderness. 

10 


THE    TRAIN 

Albert,  wrapped  in  the  cloak,  lay  upon  his  side  and 
elbow  gazing  dreamily  into  the  flames.  Dick  sat  near 
him,  frying  a  piece  of  bacon  on  the  end  of  a  stick. 
Neither  heard  the  step  behind  them  because  it  was 
noiseless,  but  both  saw  the  tall  figure  of  Bright  Sun,  as 
he  came  up  to  their  fire. 

"  Have  a  piece  of  bacon,  Bright  Sun,"  said  Dick 
hospitably,  holding  out  the  slice  to  him,  and  at  the  same 
time  wondering  whether  the  Indian  would  take  it. 

Bright  Sun  shook  his  head. 

* '  I  thank  you, ' '  he  replied,  ' '  but  I  have  eaten 
enough.  How  is  Mr.  Albert  Howard  now?  '' 

Dick  appreciated  the  inquiry,  whether  or  not  it  was 
prompted  by  sympathy. 

"  Good,"  he  replied.  "  Al's  picking  up.  Haven't 
seen  him  eat  as  he  did  to-night  for  months.  If  he  keeps 
on  this  way,  he'll  devour  a  whole  buffalo  as  soon  as 
he's  able  to  kill  one." 

Bright  Sun  smiled,  and  sat  down  on  the  ground  near 
them.  It  seemed  to  the  boy,  a  keen  observer  of  his  kind, 
that  he  wished  to  talk.  Dick  was  willing. 

"  Do  you  know,"  asked  Bright  Sun,  "  that  reports 
of  gold  in  the  region  to  the  north,  called  by  you  the 
Black  Hills,  have  come  to  us?  " 

"  I  heard  some  one  speak  of  it  two  or  three  days 
ago,''  replied  Dick,  "  but  I  paid  no  attention  to  it." 

Bright  Sun  looked  thoughtfully  into  the  fire,  the 
glow  of  which  fell  full  upon  his  face,  revealing  every 
feature  like  carving.  His  nose  was  hooked  slightly,  and 
to  Dick  it  now  looked  like  the  beak  of  an  eagle.  The 
somber  eyes,  too,  expressed  brooding  and  mastery  alike. 

11 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Despite  himself,  Dick  felt  again  that  he  was  in  the  pres 
ence  of  power,  and  he  was  oppressed  by  a  sense  of  fore 
boding. 

11  It  was  worth  attention,"  said  Bright  Sun  in  the 
slow,  precise  tones  of  one  who  speaks  a  language  not  his 
own,  but  who  speaks  it  perfectly.  "  The  white  man's 
gold  is  calling  to  him  loudly.  It  calls  all  through  the 
day  and  night.  Do  these  men  with  whom  you  travel 
go  to  anything  certain  far  over  on  the  coast  of  the 
"Western  ocean  ?  No,  they  are  leaves  blown  by  the  wind. 
The  wind  now  blows  in  the  direction  of  the  Black  Hills, 
where  the  gold  is  said  to  be,  and  to-morrow  the  wagon 
train  turns  its  head  that  way. ' ' 

Dick  sat  up  straight,  and  Albert,  wrapped  in  his 
blanket,  leaned  forward  to  listen. 

11  But  the  engagement  with  us  all/'  said  Dick,  "  was 
to  go  to  the  Pacific.  Albert  and  I  paid  our  share  for 
that  purpose.  Conway  knows  it." 

The  Indian  looked  at  Dick.  The  boy  thought  he  saw 
a  flickering  smile  of  amusement  in  his  eyes,  but  it  was 
faint,  and  gone  in  a  moment. 

"  Conway  does  not  care  for  that,"  said  the  Indian, 
"  Your  contracts  are  nothing  to  him.  This  is  the  wiL 
derness,  and  it  stretches  away  for  many  hundreds  ot 
miles  in  every  direction.  The  white  man's  law  does  not 
come  here.  Moreover,  nearly  all  wish  him  to  turn  to  the 
North  and  the  gold. ' ' 

Albert  suddenly  spoke,  and  his  tone,  though  thin 
from  physical  weakness,  was  quick,  intense,  and  eager. 

"  Why  couldn't  we  go  on  with  them,  Dick?  "  he 
said.  "  We  have  nothing  definite  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

12 


THE    TRAIN 

We  are  merely  taking  chances,  and  if  the  Black  Hills 
are  full  of  gold,  we  might  get  our  share!  " 

Dick's  eyes  glistened.  If  one  had  to  go,  one  might 
make  the  best  of  it.  The  spirit  of  romance  was  alive 
within  him.  He  was  only  a  boy. 

' '  Of  course  we  '11  go,  Al, ' '  he  said  lightly,  ' '  and  you 
and  I  will  have  a  ton  of  gold  inside  a  year. ' ' 

Bright  Sun  looked  at  the  two  boys,  first  one  and 
then  the  other,  stalwart  Dick  and  weak  Albert.  It 
seemed  to  Dick  that  he  saw  a  new  expression  in  the 
Indian's  eyes,  one  that  indicated  the  shadow  of  regret. 
He  resented  it.  Did  Bright  Sun  think  that  Albert  and 
he  were  not  equal  to  the  task? 

' '  I  am  strong, ' '  he  said ;  "  I  can  lift  and  dig  enough 
for  two;  but  Albert  also  will  be  strong,  after  we  have 
been  a  little  while  in  the  mountains. ' ' 

"  You  might  have  strength  enough.  I  do  not  doubt 
it,"  said  Bright  Sun  softly,  "  but  the  Black  Hills  are 
claimed  by  the  Sioux.  They  do  not  wish  the  white  men 
to  come  there,  and  the  Sioux  are  a  great  and  powerful 
tribe,  or  rather  a  nation  of  several  allied  and  kindred 
tribes,  the  most  powerful  Indian  nation  west  of  the 
Mississippi. ' ' 

Bright  Sun's  voice  rose  a  little  toward  the  last,  and 
the  slight  upward  tendency  gave  emphasis  and  signifi 
cance  to  his  words.  The  brooding  eyes  suddenly  shot 
forth  a  challenging  light. 

"  Are  you  a  Sioux?  "  asked  Dick  involuntarily. 

Bright  Sun  bent  upon  him  a  look  of  gentle  reproof. 

"  Since  I  have  taken  the  ways  of  your  race  I  have 
no  tribe,"  he  replied.  "  But,  as  I  have  said,  the  Sioux 

13 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

claim  the  Black  Hills,  and  they  have  many  thousands  of 
warriors,  brave,  warlike,  and  resolved  to  keep  the 
country. ' ' 

"  The  government  will  see  that  there  is  no  war/' 
said  Dick. 

1 1  Governments  can  do  little  in  a  wilderness, ' '  replied 
Bright  Sun. 

Dick  might  have  made  a  rejoinder,  but  at  that  mo 
ment  a  burly  figure  came  into  the  light  of  the  fire.  It 
was  Sam  Conway,  and  he  glanced  suspiciously  at  the 
Indian  and  the  two  boys. 

"  Are  you  telling  'em,  Bright  Sun,  when  we'll  reach 
California?  "  he  asked. 

Bright  Sun  gave  him  an  oblique  glance.  The  Indian 
seldom  looks  the  white  man  in  the  face,  but  it  was  ob 
vious  that  Bright  Sun  was  not  afraid  of  the  leader. 
Conway,  as  well  as  the  others,  knew  it. 

"  No,"  he  replied  briefly. 

"  It's  just  as  well  that  you  haven't,"  said  Conway 
bruskly,  "  'cause  we're  not  going  to  California  at  all — 
at  least  not  this  year.  It's  the  wish  and  general  con 
sensus  of  this  here  train  that  we  turn  to  the  North,  go 
into  the  Black  Hills,  and  fill  our  wagons  with  gold. ' ' 

"  So  it's  decided,  then,  is  it?  "  asked  Dick. 

"  Yes,  it's  decided,"  replied  Conway,  his  tone  now 
becoming  positively  brutal,  "  and  if  you  and  your 
brother  don't  like  it,  you  know  what  you  can  do." 

"  Keep  on  alone  for  the  coast,  I  suppose,"  said  Dick, 
looking  him  steadily  in  the  face. 

"  If  you  put  it  that  way." 

"  But  we  don't  choose,"  said  Dick,    '  Al  and  I  have 


THE    TRAIN 

an  interest  in  one  wagon  and  team,  and  we're  going 
to  hold  on  to  it.  Besides,  we're  quite  willing  to  try  our 
luck  in  the  Black  Hills,  too.  We  Ye  going  with  you. ' ' 

Conway  frowned,  but  Dick  also  was  not  afraid  of 
him,  and  knew  that  he  could  not  turn  the  two  boys  out 
on  the  prairie.  They  had  a  full  right  to  go  with  the 
train. 

"  That  settles  it,"  he  said,  turning  away.  "  You 
can  do  as  you  please,  but  what  happens  after  we  get 
into  the  Black  Hills  is  another  thing.  Likely,  we'll 
scatter." 

The  sound  of  his  retreating  footsteps  quickly  died 
away  in  the  darkness,  and  Bright  Sun,  too,  slid  among 
the  shadows.  He  was  gone  so  quickly  and  quietly  that 
it  gave  Dick  an  uncanny  feeling. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  it,  Al?  "  he  asked  his 
brother.  "  What  does  Bright  Sun  mean  by  what  he 
said  to  us?  " 

The  glow  of  the  flame  fell  across  Albert's  pale  face, 
and,  by  the  light  of  it,  Dick  saw  that  he  was  very 
thoughtful.  He  seemed  to  be  looking  over  and  beyond 
the  fire  and  the  dark  prairie,  into  time  rather  than  space. 

"  I  think  it  was  a  warning,  Dick,"  replied  Albert 
at  last.  "  Maybe  Bright  Sun  intended  it  for  only  you 
and  me.  But  I  want  to  go  up  there  in  the  Black  Hills, 
Dick." 

11  And  so  do  I.  It'll  be  easier  for  you,  Al,  than  the 
trip  across  the  continent.  When  you  are  up  a  mile  and 
a  half  or  two  miles  above  the  sea,  you  11  begin  to  take  on 
flesh  like  a  bear  in  summer.  Besides,  the  gold,  Al! 
think  of  the  gold!  " 

15 


TEE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Albert  smiled.  He,  too,  was  having  happy  thoughts. 
The  warm  glow  of  the  fire  clothed  him  and  he  was 
breathing  easily  and  peacefully.  By  and  by  he  sank 
down  in  his  blanket  and  fell  into  a  sound  sleep.  Dick 
himself  did  not  yet  have  any  thought  of  slumber.  Wide 
awake  visions  were  pursuing  one  another  through  his 
brain.  He  saw  the  mountains,  dark  and  shaggy  with 
pine  forests,  the  thin,  healing  air  over  them,  and  the 
beds  of  gold  in  their  bosom,  with  Albert  and  himself 
discovering  and  triumphant. 

The  fire  died  down,  and  glowed  a  mass  of  red  em 
bers.  The  talk  sank.  Most  of  the  men  were  asleep, 
either  in  their  blankets  or  in  the  wagons.  The  darkness 
thickened  and  deepened  and  came  close  up  to  the  fires, 
a  circling  rim  of  blackness.  But  Dick  was  still  wakeful, 
dreaming  with  wide-open  eyes  his  golden  dreams. 

As  the  visions  followed  one  after  another,  a  shadow 
which  was  not  a  part  of  any  of  them  seemed  to  Dick  to 
melt  into  the  uttermost  darkness  beyond  the  fires.  A 
trace  of  something  familiar  in  the  figure  impressed  him, 
and,  rising,  he  followed  swiftly. 

The  figure,  still  nebulous  and  noiseless,  went  on  in 
the  darkness,  and  another  like  it  seemed  to  rise  from 
the  plain  and  join  it,  Then  they  were  lost  to  the  sight 
of  the  pursuer,  seeming  to  melt  into  and  become  a  part 
of  the  surrounding  darkness.  Dick,  perplexed  and  un 
easy,  returned  to  the  fire.  The  second  shadow  must 
certainly  have  been  that  of  a  stranger.  "What  did  it 
mean? 

He  resumed  his  seat  before  the  red  glow,  clasping  his 
arms  around  his  knees,  a  splendid,  resourceful  youth 

16 


THE    TRAIN 

whom  nature  and  a  hardy  life  had  combined  to  make 
what  he  was.  His  brother  still  slept  soundly  and  peace 
fully,  but  the  procession  of  golden  visions  did  not  pass 
again  through  Dick's  brain;  instead,  it  was  a  long  trail 
of  clouds,  dark  and  threatening.  He  sought  again  and 
again  to  conjure  the  clouds  away  and  bring  back  the 
golden  dreams,  but  he  could  not. 

The  fire  fell  to  nothing,  the  triumphant  darkness 
swept  up  and  blotted  out  the  last  core  of  light,  the 
wind,  edged  with  ice,  blew  in  from  the  plains.  Dick 
shivered,  drew  a  heavy  blanket  around  his  own  shoul 
ders,  and  moved  a  little,  as  he  saw  the  dim  figure  of 
Bright  Sun  passing  at  the  far  edge  of  the  wagons,  but 
quickly  relapsed  into  stillness. 

Sleep  at  last  pulled  down  his  troubled  lids.  His  fig 
ure  sank,  and,  head  on  arms,  he  slumbered  soundly. 


CHAPTER   II 

KING   BISON 

UP !    Up,  everybody !  ' '  was  the  shout  that  reached 
Dick 's  sleeping  ears.    He  sprang  to  his  feet  and 
found  that  the  gorgeous  sun  was  flooding  the 
prairie  with  light.    Already  the  high,  brilliant  skies  of 
the  Great  West  were  arching  over  him.    Men  were  cook 
ing  breakfast.     Teamsters  were  cracking  their  whips, 
and  the  whole  camp  was  alive  with  a  gay  and  cheerful 
spirit.    Everybody  seemed  to  know  now  that  they  were 
going  for  the  gold,  and,  like  Dick,  they  had  found  it  in 
fancy  already. 

Breakfast  over,  the  train  took  up  its  march,  turning 
at  a  right  angle  from  its  old  course  and  now  advancing 
almost  due  north.  But  this  start  was  made  with  un 
common  alacrity  and  zeal.  There  were  no  sluggards 
now.  They,  too,  had  golden  visions,  and,  as  if  to  en 
courage  them,  the  aspect  of  the  country  soon  began  to 
change,  and  rapidly  to  grow  better.  The  clouds  of  dust 
that  they  raised  were  thinner.  The  bunch  grass  grew 
thicker.  Off  on  the  crest  of  a  swell  a  moving  figure  was 
seen  now  and  then.  "  Antelope/'  said  the  hunters. 
Once  they  passed  a  slow  creek.  The  water  was  muddy, 
but  it  contained  no  alkali,  and  animals  and  men  drank 

18 


KING   BISON 

eagerly.  Cottonwoods,  the  first  trees  they  had  seen  in 
days,  grew  on  either  side  of  the  stream,  and  they  rested 
there  awhile  in  the  shade,  because  the  sun  was  now  out 
in  full  splendor,  and  the  vast  plains  shimmered  in  the 
heat. 

Albert  resumed  his  place  in  the  wagon.  Dick  had  a 
horse  which,  on  becoming  foot-sore,  had  been  allowed  to 
rest  for  a  few  days,  and  was  now  well.  He  mounted 
it  and  galloped  on  ahead.  The  clouds  were  all  gone 
away  and  the  golden  visions  had  come  back.  He  felt 
so  strong,  so  young,  and  the  wonderful  air  of  the  plains 
was  such  a  tonic  that  he  urged  his  horse  to  a  gallop, 
and  it  was  hard  for  him  to  keep  from  shouting  aloud  in 
joy.  He  looked  eagerly  into  the  north,  striving  already 
for  a  sight  of  the  dark  mountains  that  men  called  the 
Black  Hills.  The  blue  gave  back  nothing  but  its  own 
blue. 

His  horse  seemed  to  share  his  spirits,  and  swung 
along  with  swift  and  easy  stride.  Dick  looked  back 
presently,  and  saw  that  the  train  which  had  been  wind 
ing  like  a  serpent  over  the  plains  was  lost  to  sight  be 
hind  the  swells.  The  surface  of  the  earth  had  become 
more  rolling  as  they  advanced  northward,  and  he  knew 
that  the  train,  though  out  of  sight,  was  not  far  away. 

He  enjoyed  for  the  moment  the  complete  absence  of 
all  human  beings  save  himself.  To  be  alone  then  meant 
anything  but  loneliness.  He  galloped  to  the  crest  of  a 
higher  swell  than  usual,  and  then  stopped  short.  Far 
off  on  the  plain  he  saw  tiny  moving  figures,  a  dozen  or 
so,  and  he  was  sure  that  they  were  antelope.  They  had 
seen  antelope  before  at  a  great  distance,  but  had  not 

19 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

bothered  about  them.  Now  the  instincts  of  the  hunter 
rose  in  Dick,  and  he  resolved  to  make  a  trial  of  his 
skill. 

He  found  in  one  of  the  depressions  between  the 
swells  a  stunted  cottonwood,  to  which  he  hitched  his 
horse,  knowing  it  would  be  well  hidden  there  from  the 
observation  of  the  herd.  He  then  advanced  on  foot.  He 
had  heard  that  the  antelope  was  a  slave  to  its  own  curi 
osity,  and  through  that  weakness  he  intended  to  secure 
his  game. 

"When  he  had  gone  about  half  the  distance  he  sank 
down  on  his  hands  and  knees  and  began  to  crawl,  a 
laborious  and  sometimes  painful  operation,  burdened  as 
he  was  with  his  rifle,  and  unused  to  such  methods  of  loco 
motion.  Presently  he  noticed  a  flutter  among  the  ante 
lope,  a  raising  of  timid  heads,  an  alarmed  looking  in  his 
direction.  But  Dick  was  prepared.  He  lay  flat  upon  his 
face,  and  dug  the  point  of  the  long  hunting  knife  that 
he  carried  into  the  ground,  while  the  wind  blew  out  the 
folds  of  the  red  handkerchief  which  he  had  tied  to  the 
handle. 

Mr.  Big  Buck  Antelope,  the  chief  of  the  herd  and  a 
wary  veteran,  saw  the  waving  red  spot  on  the  horizon, 
and  his  interest  was  aroused,  despite  his  caution.  What 
a  singular  thing !  It  must  be  investigated !  It  might  be 
some  new  kind  of  food  very  good  for  Mr.  Big  Buck's 
palate  and  stomach,  and  no  provident  antelope  could 
afford  to  let  such  an  opportunity  pass. 

He  was  trembling  all  over  with  curiosity,  and  per 
haps  his  excitement  kept  him  from  seeing  the  dark  shape 
that  blurred  with  the  earth  just  beyond  the  red  some- 

20 


KING   BISON 

thing,  or  he  may  have  taken  it  for  a  shadow.  At  any 
event,  his  curiosity  kept  him  from  paying  heed  to  it,  and 
he  began  to  approach.  His  steps  were  hesitating,  and 
now  and  then  he  drew  away  a  little,  but  that  singular 
red  object  lured  him  on,  and  yard  by  yard  he  drew 
nearer. 

He  suddenly  saw  the  black  shadow  beyond  the  flut 
tering  red  object  detach  itself  from  the  ground,  and 
resolve  into  a  terrible  shape.  His  heart  sprang  up 
in  his  bosom,  and  he  was  about  to  rush  madly  away, 
but  it  was  too  late.  A  stream  of  fire  shot  forth  from 
the  dark  object  and  the  buck  fell,  a  bullet  through 
him. 

Dick  prepared  the  animal  for  dressing,  thinking  of 
the  tender,  juicy  steaks  that  Albert  would  enjoy,  and 
then  throwing  the  body  across  the  horse,  behind  him, 
rode  back  to  the  train,  proud  of  his  success. 

Conway  frowned  and  said  grudging  words.  He  did 
not  like,  he  said,  for  anybody  to  leave  the  train  with 
out  his  permission,  and  it  was  foolish,  anyhow,  for  a  boy 
to  be  galloping  about  as  he  pleased  over  the  prairie ;  he 
might  get  lost,  and  there  would  be  nobody  to  take  care 
of  the  other  boy,  the  sick  one.  Dick  made  an  easy 
diplomatic  reply.  He  knew  that  Conway  merely  wished 
to  be  unpleasant,  but  Dick  was  of  a  very  good  nature, 
and  he  was  particularly  averse  just  then  to  quarreling 
with  anybody.  He  was  too  full  of  the  glory  of  living, 
Instead,  he  offered  some  of  the  antelope  steaks  to  Con- 
way,  who  churlishly  accepted  them,  and  that  night  he 
broiled  others  for  Albert  and  himself,  dividing  the  resfc 
among  the  men. 

21 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Albert  found  antelope  steak  tender  and  juicy,  and 
he  ate  with  an  increasing  appetite.  Dick  noted  the  in 
crease  with  pleasure. 

"  I  wish  I  could  go  out  and  kill  antelope/'  said  Al 
bert. 

Dick  laughed  cheerfully. 

1 '  Kill  antelope, ' '  he  said.  * '  "Why,  Al,  in  six  months 
you'll  be  taking  a  grizzly  bear  by  the  neck  and  choking 
him  to  death  with  your  two  hands." 

"  "Wish  I  could  believe  it,"  said  Albert. 

But  Dick  went  to  sleep  early  that  night,  and  slept 
peacefully  without  dreams  or  visions,  and  the  next  morn 
ing  the  train  resumed  its  sanguine  march.  They  were 
still  ascending,  and  the  character  of  the  country  con 
tinued  to  improve.  Bunch  grass  steadily  grew  thicker 
and  buffalo  chips  were  numerous.  The  heat  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  day  was  still  great,  but  the  air  was  so  dry  and 
pure  that  it  was  not  oppressive.  Albert  dismounted 
from  the  wagon,  and  walked  for  several  miles  by  the  side 
of  his  brother. 

"  Shouldn't  be  surprised  if  we  saw  buffalo,"  said 
Dick.  ' l  Heard  'em  talking  about  it  in  the  train.  Bright 
Sun  says  these  are  favorite  grazing  grounds,  and  there's 
still  a  lot  of  buffalo  scattered  about  the  plains. ' ' 

Albert  showed  excitement. 

"  A  buffalo  herd!  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Do  you  think 
it  can  really  happen,  Dick?  I  never  thought  I'd  see 
such  a  thing!  I  hope  it  11  come  true!  Jf 

It  came  true  much  sooner  than  Albert  hoped. 

Scarcely  a  half  hour  after  he  spoke,  Bright  Sun, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  the  column,  stopped  his  pony 

22 


KING   BISON 

and  pointed  to  indistinct  tiny  shadows  just  under  the 
horizon. 

' l  Buffalo  /  ' '  he  said  tersely,  and  after  a  moment 's 
pause  he  added:  "  A  great  herd  comes!  " 

Dick  and  Albert  were  on  foot  then,  but  they  heard 
his  words  and  followed  his  pointing  finger  with  the  deep 
est  interest.  The  tiny  black  shadows  seemed  to  come  out 
of  the  horizon  as  if  they  stepped  from  a  wall.  They 
grew  in  size  and  number,  and  all  the  west  was  filled 
with  their  forms. 

The  train  resumed  its  march,  bending  off  under  the 
guidance  of  Bright  Sun  a  little  toward  the  west,  and 
it  was  obvious  that  the  herd  would  pass  near.  Dick  and 
Albert  rejoiced,  because  they  wished  to  see  the  buffaloes 
at  close  quarters,  and  Dick  was  hoping  also  for  a  shot. 
Others,  too,  in  the  train,  although  their  minds  were 
set  on  gold,  began  to  turn  their  attention  now  to  the 
herd.  The  sport  and  the  fresh  meat  alike  would  be 
welcome.  It  was  Dick's  impulse  to  mount  his  horse 
and  gallop  away  again,  gun  in  hand,  but  he  made 
a  supreme  conquest  over  self  and  remained.  He  re 
membered  Albert's  longing  words  about  the  antelope, 
his  wish  that  he,  too,  tireless,  might  be  able  to  pursue 
the  game.  Dick  remained  quietly  by  his  brother's 
side. 

The  whole  train  stopped  presently  at  Conway  's  order 
on  the  crest  of  a  swell,  and  drew  itself  up  in  a  circle. 
Many  of  the  men  were  now  mounted  and  armed  for  an 
attack  upon  the  herd,  but  at  the  suggestion  of  Bright 
Sun  they  waited  a  little,  until  the  opportunity  should 
become  more  convenient. 

23 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  It  is  a  big  herd/'  said  Bright  Sun;  "  perhaps  the 
6iggest  that  one  can  ever  see  now. ' ' 

It  certainly  seemed  immense  to  Dick  and  Albert. 
The  great  animals  came  on  in  an  endless  stream  from 
the  blue  wall  of  the  horizon.  The  vast  procession  stead 
ily  broadened  and  lengthened  and  it  moved  with  unceas 
ing  step  toward  the  south.  The  body  of  it  was  solid 
black,  with  figures  which  at  the  distance  blended  into 
one  mass,  but  on  the  flanks  hung  stragglers,  lawless  old 
bulls  or  weaklings,  and  outside  there  was  a  fringe  of 
hungry  wolves,  snapping  and  snarling,  and  waiting  a 
chance  to  drag  down  some  failing  straggler. 

Far  over  the  plain  spread  the  herd,  thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands,  and  the  earth  shook  with  their  tread. 
Confused  bellowings  and  snortings  arose,  and  the  dust 
hung  thick. 

Dick  and  Albert  stared  with  intent  eyes  at  the  won 
derful  scene.  The  herd  was  drawing  nearer  and  nearer. 
It  would  pass  only  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  crest 
on  which  the  train  stood.  Already  the  hunters  were 
shouting  to  one  another  and  galloping  away,  but  Dick 
did  not  stir  from  Albert's  side.  Albert's  eyes  were  ex 
panded,  and  the  new  color  in  his  face  deepened.  His 
breath  came  in  the  short,  quick  fashion  of  one  who  is 
excited.  He  suddenly  turned  to  his  brother. 

"  The  men  are  off!  Why  aren't  you  with  them, 
Dick?  "  he  exclaimed. 

11  I  thought  I  wouldn't  go/'  replied  Dick  evasively. 
* '  There  '11  be  enough  without  me. ' ' 

Albert  stared.  Not  hunt  buffalo  when  one  could? 
It  was  unbelievable.  Then  he  comprehended.  But  he 

24 


KING    BISON 

would  not  have  it  that  way !  It  was  noble  of  Dick,  but 
it  should  not  be  so  for  a  moment.  He  cried  out,  a  note 
of  anxiety  in  his  voice : 

1 '  No,  Dick,  you  shall  not  stay  here  with  me !  My 
time  will  come  later  on !  Jump  on  your  horse,  Dick,  and 
join  'em !  I  won't  forgive  you  if  you  don't !  " 

Dick  saw  that  Albert  was  in  earnest,  and  he  knew 
that  it  would  be  better  for  them  both  now  if  he  should  go. 

"  All  right,  Al!  "  he  cried,  "  I'll  pick  out  a  good  fat 
one."  He  jumped  on  his  horse  and  in  a  moment  was 
galloping  at  full  speed  over  the  plain  toward  the  great 
herd  which  now  rushed  on,  black  and  thundering. 

Dick  heard  shots  already  from  those  who  had  pre 
ceded  him,  and  the  exultant  shouts  of  the  men  mingled 
with  the  roar  of  mighty  tramplings.  But  it  was  not  all 
triumph  for  the  men,  few  of  whom  were  experienced. 
Two  or  three  had  been  thrown  by  shying  horses,  and 
with  difficulty  escaped  being  trodden  to  death  under  the 
feet  of  the  herd.  The  herd  itself  was  so  immense  that  it 
did  not  notice  these  few  wasps  on  a  distant  flank,  and 
thundered  steadily  on  southward. 

Dick's  own  horse,  frightened  by  such  a  tremendous 
sight,  shied  and  jumped,  but  the  boy  had  a  sure  seat 
and  brought  him  around  again.  Dick  himself  was 
somewhat  daunted  by  the  aspect  of  the  herd.  If  he  and 
his  horse  got  in  the  way,  they  would  go  down  forever, 
as  surely  as  if  engulfed  by  an  avalanche. 

The  horse  shied  again  and  made  a  mighty  jump,  as 
a  huge  bull,  red-eyed  and  puffing,  charged  by.  Dick, 
who  was  holding  his  rifle  in  one  hand,  slipped  far  over, 
and  with  great  difficulty  regained  his  balance  on  the 

25 


THE   LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

horse's  back.  When  he  was  secure  again,  he  turned  his 
mount  and  galloped  along  for  some  distance  on  the 
flank  of  the  herd,  seeking  a  suitable  target  for  his  bulled 
The  effect  was  dizzying.  So  many  thousands  were  rush 
ing  beside  him  that  the  shifting  panorama  made  him 
wink  his  eyes  rapidly.  Vast  clouds  of  dust  floated 
about,  now  and  then  enveloping  him,  and  that  made  him 
wink  his  eyes,  too.  But  he  continued,  nevertheless,  to 
seek  for  his  target  a  fat  cow.  Somehow  he  didn't  seem 
to  see  anything  just  then  but  old  bulls.  They  were  thick 
on  the  flanks  of  the  herd  either  as  stragglers  or  protect 
ors,  and  Dick  was  afraid  to  press  in  among  them  in  his 
search  for  the  cow. 

His  opportunity  came  at  last.  A  young  cow,  as  fat 
as  one  could  wish,  was  thrown  on  the  outside  by  some 
movement  of  the  herd,  caught,  as  it  were,  like  a  piece 
of  driftwood  in  an  eddy,  and  Dick  instantly  fired  at  her. 
She  staggered  and  went  down,  but  at  the  same  instant 
a  huge,  shaggy  bull  careened  against  Dick  and  his  horse. 
It  was  not  so  much  a  charge  as  an  accident,  the  chance 
of  Dick's  getting  in  the  bull's  way,  and  the  boy's  escape 
was  exceedingly  narrow. 

His  horse  staggered  and  fell  to  his  knees.  The  vio 
lence  of  the  shock  wrested  Dick's  rifle  from  his  hand, 
and  he  was  barely  quick  enough  to  grasp  it  as  it  was 
sliding  across  the  saddle.  But  he  did  save  it,  and  the 
horse,  trembling  and  frightened,  recovered  his  feet.  By 
that  time  the  old  bull  and  his  comrades  were  gone. 

Dick  glanced  around  and  was  relieved  to  see  that 
nobody  had  noticed  his  plight.  They  were  all  too  much 
absorbed  in  their  own  efforts  to  pay  any  heed  to  him. 

26 


KING   BISON 

The  boy  took  a  deep,  long  breath.  He  had  killed  a  buf 
falo,  despite  his  inexperience.  There  was  the  cow  to 
show  for  it. 

The  herd  thundered  off  to  the  southward,  the  clouds 
of  dust  and  the  fringe  of  wolves  following  it.  About  a 
dozen  of  their  number  had  fallen  before  the  rifles,  but 
Dick  had  secured  the  fattest  and  tenderest.  Albert,  as 
proud  as  Dick  himself  of  his  triumph,  came  down  on  the 
plain  and  helped  as  much  as  he  could  in  skinning  and 
cutting  up  the  cow.  Dick  wished  to  preserve  the  robe, 
and  they  spread  it  out  on  the  wagon  to  dry. 

The  train  made  no  further  attempt  to  advance  that 
day,  but  devoted  the  afternoon  to  a  great  feast.  Bright 
Sun  showed  them  how  to  cook  the  tenderest  part  of  the 
hump  in  the  coals,  and  far  into  the  night  the  fires 
blazed. 

"  We  will  see  no  more  buffaloes  for  a  while, "  said 
Bright  Sun.  ' '  To-morrow  we  reach  another  little  river 
coming  down  from  the  hills,  and  the  ground  becomes 
rough. ' ' 

Bright  Sun  told  the  truth.  They  reached  the  river 
about  noon  of  the  next  day,  and,  as  it  flowed  between 
steep  banks,  the  crossing  was  difficult.  It  took  many 
hours  to  get  on  the  other  side,  and  two  or  three  axles 
were  broken  by  the  heavy  jolts.  Conway  raged  and 
swore,  calling  them  a  clumsy  lot,  and  some  of  the  men 
refused  to  take  his  abuse,  replying  to  his  hard  words 
with  others  equally  as  hard.  Pistols  were  drawn  and 
there  was  promise  of  trouble,  but  it  was  finally  stopped, 
partly  by  the  persuasion  of  others,  and  partly  of  its  own 
accord.  The  men  were  still  feeling  the  desire  for  gold 

27 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

too  strongly  to  fight  while  on  the  way  to  it.  Dick  and 
Albert  kept  aloof  from  these  contentions,  steadily  mind 
ing  their  own  business,  and  they  found,  as  others  do, 
that  it  paid. 

They  came  presently  into  a  better  country,  and  the 
way  led  for  a  day  or  two  through  a  typical  part  of  the 
Great  Plains,  not  a  flat  region,  but  one  of  low,  monot 
onous  swells.  Now  and  then  they  crossed  a  shallow  lit 
tle  creek,  and  occasionally  they  came  to  pools,  some 
of  which  were  tinged  with  alkali.  There  were  numerous 
small  depressions,  two  or  three  feet  deep,  and  Dick 
knew  that  they  were  ' '  buffalo  wallows. ' '  He  and  Albert 
examined  them  with  interest. 

"  This  is  buffalo  country  again, "  said  Dick. 
"  Everything  proves  it.  The  grass  here  is  the  best  that 
we  have  seen  in  a  long  time,  and  I  imagine  that  it's  just 
the  sort  of  place  they  would  love." 

The  grass  was,  indeed,  good,  as  Dick  had  said,  not 
merely  clumps  of  it.  but  often  wide,  carpeted  spaces. 
It  was  somewhat  dry,  and  turning  brown,  but  so  big  and 
strong  an  animal  as  the  buffalo  would  not  mind  it.  In 
fact,  they  saw  several  small  groups  of  buffaloes  grazing 
at  a  distance,  usually  on  the  crest  of  one  of  the  low 
swells.  As  they  already  had  plenty  of  buffalo  meat,  the 
men  of  the  train  did  not  trouble  them,  and  the  great 
animals  would  continue  to  crop  the  grass  undisturbed. 

About  a  week  after  the  buffalo  hunt  they  camped  in 
a  great  plain  somewhat  flatter  than  any  that  they  had 
encountered  hitherto,  and  drew  up  the  wagons  in  a  loose 
circle. 

The  day  had  been  very  hot,  but,  as  usual  on  the 
28 


KING   BISON 

plains,  the  night  brought  coolness.  The  fire  which  Dick 
made  of  buffalo  chips  was  not  only  useful,  but  it  felt 
pleasant,  too,  as  they  sat  beside  it,  ate  their  supper,  and 
watched  the  great  inclosing  circle  of  darkness  creep  up 
closer  and  closer  to  the  camp.  There  was  not  much 
noise  about  them.  The  men  were  tired,  and  as  soon 
as  they  ate  their  food  they  fell  asleep  in  the  wagons  or 
on  the  ground.  The  tethered  horses  and  mules  stirred 
a  little  for  a  while,  but  they,  too,  soon  rested  in  peace. 

"  You  take  the  wagon,  Al,"  said  Dick,  "  but  I  think 
111  sleep  on  the  ground." 

Albert  said  good  night  and  disappeared  in  the  wagon. 
Dick  stood  up  and  looked  over  the  camp.  Only  two  or 
three  fires  were  yet  burning,  and  not  a  dozen  men  were 
awake.  He  saw  dark  figures  here  and  there  on  the 
ground,  and  knew  that  they  were  those  of  sleepers. 
Three  sentinels  had  been  posted,  but  Dick  was  quite  sure 
from  the  general  character  of  the  train  that  later  on 
they  would  sleep  like  the  others.  All  his  instincts  of 
order  and  fitness  rebelled  against  the  management  of 
this  camp. 

Dick  rolled  himself  in  his  blanket  and  lay  down  by 
the  little  fire  that  he  had  built.  The  dry,  clean  earth 
made  a  good  bed,  and  with  his  left  elbow  under  his 
head  he  gazed  into  the  fire,  which,  like  all  fires  of  buffalo 
chips,  was  now  rapidly  dying,  leaving  little  behind 
but  light  ashes  that  the  first  breeze  would  scatter 
through  space. 

He  watched  the  last  blaze  sink  and  go  out,  he  saw  the 
last  coal  die,  then,  when  a  few  sparks  flew  upward, 
there  was  blank  darkness  where  the  fire  had  been.  All 

29 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  other  fires  were  out,  too,  and  only  the  dim  figures 
of  the  wagons  showed.  He  felt,  for  a  little  while,  as  if 
he  were  alone  in  the  wilderness,  but  he  was  not  afraid. 
All  was  darkness  below,  and  the  wind  was  moaning,  but 
overhead  was  a  blue  sky  filled  with  friendly  stars. 

Dick  could  not  go  to  sleep  for  a  long  time.  From 
the  point  where  he  lay  he  could  now  see  two  of  the  sen 
tinels  walking  back  and  forth,  rifle  on  shoulder.  He 
did  not  believe  that  they  would  continue  to  do  so  many 
hours,  and  he  had  a  vague  sort  of  desire  to  prove  that 
he  was  right.  Having  nothing  else  to  do  he  watched 
them. 

The  nearer  sentinel  grew  lazier  in  his  walk,  and  his 
beat  became  shorter.  At  last  he  dropped  his  rifle  to  the 
ground,  leaned  his  folded  arms  on  its  muzzle,  and  gazed 
toward  the  camp,  where,  so  far  as  he  could  see,  there  was 
nothing  but  darkness  and  sleep.  The  other  presently 
did  the  same.  Then  they  began  short  walks  back  and 
forth,  but  soon  both  sat  down  on  the  ground,  with  their 
rifles  between  their  knees,  and  after  that  they  did  not 
stir.  "Watching  as  closely  as  he  could  Dick  could  not 
observe  the  slightest  movement  on  the  part  of  either, 
and  he  knew  that  they  were  asleep.  He  laughed  to  him 
self,  pleased,  in  a  way,  to  know  that  he  had  been  right, 
although  it  was  only  another  evidence  of  the  careless 
ness  and  indifference  general  throughout  the  train. 

He  fell  asleep  himself  in  another  half  hour,  but  he 
awoke  about  midnight,  and  he  was  conscious  at  once  that 
he  had  been  awakened  not  by  a  troubled  mind,  but  by 
something  external  and  unusual.  He  was  lying  with  his 
right  ear  to  the  ground,  and  it  seemed  to  him  that  a 

30 


KING   BISON 

slight  trembling  motion  ran  through  the  solid  earth.  He 
did  not  so  much  hear  it  as  feel  it,  and  tried  to  persuade 
himself  that  it  was  mere  fancy,  but  failed.  He  sat  up, 
and  he  no  longer  observed  the  trembling,  but  when  he 
put  his  ear  to  the  ground  again  it  was  stronger. 

It  could  not  be  fancy.  It  was  something  real  and 
extraordinary.  He  glanced  at  the  sentinels,  but  they 
were  sound  asleep.  He  felt  a  desire  to  rouse  somebody, 
but  if  it  proved  to  be  nothing  they  would  laugh  at  him, 
or  more  likely  call  him  hard  names.  He  tried  ear  to 
earth  once  more.  The  trembling  was  still  growing  in 
strength,  and  mixed  with  it  was  a  low,  groaning  sound, 
like  the  swell  of  the  sea  on  the  shore.  The  sound  came 
with  the  wind  from  the  north. 

Dick  sprang  to  his  feet.  There,  in  the  north,  was  a 
faint  light  which  grew  with  amazing  rapidity.  In  a 
minute  almost  it  seemed  to  redden  the  whole  northern 
heavens,  and  the  groaning  sound  became  a  roll,  like  that 
of  approaching  thunder. 

A  shadow  flitted  by  Dick. 

"  What  is  it,  Bright  Sun?  What  is  it?  "  exclaimed 
the  boy. 

"  The  dry  grass  burns,  and  a  mighty  buffalo  herd 
flees  before  it." 

Then  Bright  Sun  was  gone,  and  the  full  sense  of  their 
danger  burst  upon  Dick  in  overwhelming  tide.  The 
flames  came  on,  as  fast  as  a  horse's  gallop,  and  the  buf 
faloes,  in  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands,  were  their 
vanguard.  The  camp  lay  directly  in  the  path  of  fire  and 
buffalo.  The  awakened  sentinels  were  on  their  feet  now, 
and  half-clad  men  were  springing  from  the  wagons. 

31 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Dick  stood  perfectly  still  for  perhaps  a  minute,  while 
the  fire  grew  brighter  and  the  thunder  of  a  myriad  hoofs 
grew  louder.  Then  he  remembered  what  he  had  so  often 
read  and  heard,  and  the  crisis  stirred  him  to  swift  action. 
While  the  whole  camp  was  a  scene  of  confusion,  of 
shouts,  of  oaths,  and  of  running  men,  he  sped  to  its 
south  side,  to  a  point  twenty  or  thirty  yards  from  the 
nearest  wagon.  There  he  knelt  in  the  dry  grass  and 
drew  his  box  of  matches  from  his  pocket.  It  happened 
that  Conway  saw. 

'  *  "What  are  you  doing,  you  boy  ?  ' '  he  cried  threaten 
ingly. 

But  Dick  did  not  care  for  Conway  just  then. 

"  Back  fire!  Back  fire!  "  he  shouted,  and  struck  a 
match.  It  went  out,  but  he  quickly  struck  another, 
shielded  it  with  one  hand  and  touched  the  tiny  flame 
to  the  grass.  A  flame  equally  tiny  answered,  but  in  an 
instant  it  leaped  into  the  size  and  strength  of  a  giant. 
The  blaze  rose  higher  than  Dick's  head,  ran  swiftly  to 
right  and  left,  and  then  roared  away  to  the  south,  eating 
up  everything  in  its  path. 

"  Well  done,"  said  a  voice  at  Dick's  elbow.  "  It  is 
the  only  thing  that  could  save  the  train." 

It  was  Bright  Sun  who  spoke,  and  he  had  come  so 
silently  that  Dick  did  not  see  him  until  then. 

Conway  understood  now,  but  without  a  word  of  ap 
proval  he  turned  away  and  began  to  give  orders,  mixed 
with  much  swearing.  He  had  a  rough  sort  of  efficiency, 
and  spurred  by  his  tongue  and  their  own  dreadful  neces 
sity,  the  men  worked  fast.  The  horses  and  mules,  except 
three  or  four  which  had  broken  loose  and  were  lost,  were 

32 


KING   BISON 

hitched  to  the  wagons  in  half  the  usual  time.  There 
were  no  sluggards  now. 

Dick  helped,  and  Albert,  too,  but  to  both  it  seemed 
that  the  work  would  never  be  done.  The  back  fire  was 
already  a  half  mile  away,  gathering  volume  and  speed 
as  it  went,  but  the  other  was  coming  on  at  an  equal  pace. 
Deer  and  antelope  were  darting  past  them,  and  the 
horses  and  mules  were  rearing  in  terror. 

"  Into  the  burned  ground/'  shouted  Conway,  "an' 
keep  the  wagons  close  together!  " 

No  need  to  urge  the  animals.  They  galloped  south 
ward  over  earth  which  was  still  hot  and  smoking,  but 
they  knew  that  something  was  behind  them,  far  more 
terrible  than  sparks  and  smoke. 

Dick  made  Albert  jump  into  their  own  wagon,  while 
he  ran  beside  it.  As  he  ran,  he  looked  back,  and  saw  a 
sight  that  might  well  fill  the  bravest  soul  with  dread. 
A  great  black  line,  crested  with  tossing  horns,  was  bear 
ing  down  upon  them.  The  thunder  of  hoofs  was  like 
the  roar  of  a  hurricane,  but  behind  the  herd  was  a  vast 
wall  of  light,  which  seemed  to  reach  from  the  earth  to 
the  heavens  and  which  gave  forth  sparks  in  myriads. 
Dick  knew  that  they  had  been  just  in  time. 

They  did  not  stop  until  they  had  gone  a  full  quarter 
of  a  mile,  and  then  the  wagons  were  hastily  drawn  up  in 
a  rude  circle,  with  the  animals  facing  the  center,  that 
is,  the  inside,  and  still  rearing  and  neighing  in  terror. 
Then  the  men,  rifle  in  hand,  and  sitting  in  the  rear  of 
the  wagons,  faced  the  buffalo  herd. 

Dick  was  with  the  riflemen,  and,  like  the  others,  he 
began  to  fire  as  soon  as  the  vanguard  of  the  buffaloes 

33 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

was  near  enough.  The  wagons  were  a  solid  obstacle 
which  not  even  King  Bison  could  easily  run  over,  but 
Dick  and  Albert  thought  the  herd  would  never  split,  al 
though  the  bullets  were  poured  into  it  at  a  central  point 
like  a  driven  wedge. 

But  the  falling  buffaloes  were  an  obstacle  to  those 
behind  them,  and  despite  their  mad  panic,  the  living 
became  conscious  of  the  danger  in  front.  The  herd  split 
at  last,  the  cleft  widened  to  right  and  left,  and  then  the 
tide,  in  two  great  streams,  flowed  past  the  wagon  train. 

Dick  ceased  firing  and  sat  with  Albert  on  the  tail  of 
the  wagon.  The  wall  of  fire,  coming  to  the  burned 
ground,  went  out  in  the  center,  but  the  right  and  left 
ends  of  it,  swinging  around,  still  roared  to  the  south 
ward,  passing  at  a  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on 
either  side. 

Dick  and  Albert  watched  until  all  the  herd  was  gone, 
and  when  only  smoke  and  sparks  were  left,  helped  to 
get  the  camp  into  trim  again.  Conway  knew  that  the 
boy  had  saved  them,  but  he  gave  him  no  thanks. 

It  took  the  ground  a  long  time  to  cool,  and  they  ad 
vanced  all  the  next  day  over  a  burned  area.  They  trav 
eled  northward  ten  days,  always  ascending,  and  they 
were  coming  now  to  a  wooded  country.  They  crossed 
several  creeks,  flowing  down  from  the  higher  mountains, 
and  along  the  beds  of  these  they  found  cottonwood,  ash, 
box  elder,  elm,  and  birch.  On  the  steeper  slopes  were 
numerous  cedar  brakes  and  also  groves  of  yellow  pine. 
There  was  very  little  undergrowth,  but  the  grass  grew 
in  abundance.  Although  it  was  now  somewhat  dry, 
the  horses  and  mules  ate  it  eagerly.  The  buffaloes 

34 


KING   BISON 

did  not  appear  here,  but  they  saw  many  signs  of 
bear,  mule  deer,  panther  or  mountain  lion,  and  other 
game. 

They  camped  one  night  in  a  pine  grove  by  the  side 
of  a  brook  that  came  rushing  and  foaming  down  from 
the  mountains,  and  the  next  morning  Albert,  who  walked 
some  distance  from  the  water,  saw  a  silver-tip  bear  lap 
ping  the  water  of  the  stream.  The  bear  raised  his  head 
and  looked  at  Albert,  and  Albert  stopped  and  looked  at 
the  bear.  The  boy  was  unarmed,  but  he  was  not  afraid. 
The  bear  showed  no  hostility,  only  curiosity.  He  gazed 
a  few  moments,  stretched  his  nose  as  if  he  would  sniff 
the  air,  then  turned  and  lumbered  away  among  the 
pines.  Albert  returned  to  the  camp,  but  he  said  noth 
ing  of  the  bear  to  anybody  except  Dick. 

"  He  was  such  a  jolly,  friendly  looking  fellow,  Dick, " 
he  said,  "  that  I  didn't  want  any  of  these  men  to  go 
hunting  him." 

Dick  laughed. 

* '  Don 't  you  worry  about  that,  Al, ' '  he  said.  ' '  They 
are  hunting  gold,  not  bears. ' ' 

On  the  twelfth  day  they  came  out  on  a  comparatively 
level  plateau,  where  antelope  were  grazing  and  prairie 
chickens  whirring.  It  looked  like  a  fertile  country,  and 
they  were  glad  of  easy  traveling  for  the  wagons.  Just 
at  the  edge  of  the  pine  woods  that  they  were  leaving 
was  a  beautiful  little  lake  of  clear,  blue  water,  by  which 
they  stayed  half  a  day,  refreshing  themselves,  and  catch 
ing  some  excellent  fish,  the  names  of  which  they  did 
not  know. 

"  How  much  longer,  Bright  Sun,  will  it  take  us  to 
35 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

reach  the  gold  country?  "  asked  Conway  of  the  Indian, 
in  Dick 's  hearing. 

"  About  a  week/'  replied  Bright  Sun.  "  The  way 
presently  will  be  very  rough  and  steep,  up !  up  !  up  !  and 
we  can  go  only  a  few  miles  a  day,  but  the  mountains  are 
already  before  us.  See !  ' ' 

He  pointed  northward  and  upward,  and  there  before 
them  was  the  misty  blue  loom  that  Dick  knew  was  the 
high  mountains.  In  those  dark  ridges  lay  the  gold  that 
they  were  going  to  seek,  and  his  heart  throbbed.  Albert 
and  he  could  do  such  wonderful  things  with  it. 

They  were  so  high  already  that  the  nights  were  crisp 
with  cold ;  but  at  the  edge  of  the  forest,  running  down 
to  the  little  lake,  fallen  wood  was  abundant,  and  they 
built  that  night  a  great  fire  of  fallen  boughs  that  crac 
kled  and  roared  merrily.  Yet  they  hovered  closely,  be 
cause  the  wind,  sharp  with  ice,  was  whistling  down  from 
the  mountains,  and  the  night  air,  even  in  the  little  val 
ley,  was  heavy  with  frost.  Dick's  buffalo  robe  was  dry 
now,  and  he  threw  it  around  Albert,  as  he  sat  before  the 
fire.  It  enveloped  the  boy  like  a  great  blanket,  but  far 
warmer,  the  soft,  smooth  fur  caressing  his  cheeks,  and, 
as  Albert  drew  it  closer,  he  felt  very  snug  indeed. 

"  We  cross  this  valley  to-morrow,"  said  Dick,  "  and 
then  we  begin  a  steeper  climb." 

"  Then  it  will  be  mountains,  only  mountains,"  said 
Bright  Sun.  *  *  We  go  into  regions  which  no  white  men, 
except  the  fur  hunters,  have  ever  trod." 

Dick  started.  He  had  not  known  that  the  Indian  was 
near.  Certainly  he  was  not  there  a  moment  ago.  There 
was  something  uncanny  in  the  way  in  which  Bright  Sun 

36 


KING   BISON 

would  appear  on  noiseless  footstep,  like  a  wraith  rising 
from  the  earth. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  of  it,  Bright  Sun,"  said  Albert 
"I'm  tired  of  the  plains,  and  they  say  that  the  moun 
tains  are  good  for  many  ills. ' ' 

Bright  Sun's  enigmatic  glance  rested  upon  Albert  a 
moment. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  the  mountains  will  cure  many 
ills." 

Dick  glanced  at  him,  and  once  more  he  received  the 
impression  of  thought  and  power.  The  Indian's  nose 
curved  like  an  eagle's  beak,  and  the  firelight  perhaps 
exaggerated  both  the  curre  and  its  effect.  The  whole 
impression  of  thought  and  force  was  heightened  by  the 
wide  brow  and  the  strong  chin. 

Dick  looked  back  into  the  fire,  and  when  he  glanced 
around  a  few  moments  again,  Bright  Sun  was  not  there. 
He  had  gone  as  silently  as  he  had  come. 

"  That  Indian  gives  me  the  shivers  sometimes,"  he 
said  to  Albert.  ' i  What  do  you  make  of  him  ?  ' ' 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  boy.  "  Sometimes  I 
like  him  and  sometimes  I  don 't. ' ' 

Albert  was  soon  asleep,  wrapped  in  the  buffalo  robe, 
and  Dick  by  and  by  followed  him  to  the  same  pleasant 
land.  The  wind,  whistling  as  it  blew  down  from  the 
mountains,  grew  stronger  and  colder,  and  its  tone  was 
hostile,  as  if  it  resented  the  first  presence  of  white  men  in 
the  little  valley  by  the  lake. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE  PASS 

THEY  resumed  the  journey  early  the  next  day, 
Bright  Sun  telling  Conway  that  they  could  reach 
the  range  before  sunset,  and  that  they  would  find 
there  an  easy  pass  leading  a  mile  or  two  farther  on  to 
a  protected  and  warm  glen. 

"  That's  the  place  for  our  camp/'  said  Conway, 
and  he  urged  the  train  forward. 

The  traveling  was  smooth  and  easy,  and  they  soon 
left  the  little  blue  lake  well  behind,  passing  through  a 
pleasant  country  well  wooded  with  elm,  ash,  birch,  cot> 
tonwood,  and  box  elder,  and  the  grass  growing  high 
everywhere.  They  crossed  more  than  one  clear  little 
stream,  a  pleasant  contrast  to  the  sluggish,  muddy  creeki 
of  the  prairies. 

The  range,  toward  which  the  head  of  the  train  was 
pointing,  now  came  nearer.  The  boys  saw  its  slopes, 
shaggy  with  dark  pine,  and  they  knew  that  beyond  it  lay 
other  and  higher  slopes,  also  dark  with  pine.  The  air 
was  of  a  wonderful  clearness,  showing  in  the  east  and 
beyond  the  zenith  a  clear  silver  tint,  while  the  west  was 
pure  red  gold  with  the  setting  sun. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  range.    The  great  pines, 
38 


THE    PASS 

blurred  at  first  into  an  unbroken  mass,  now  stood  out 
singly,  showing  their  giant  stems.  Afar  a  flash  of  foamy 
white  appeared,  where  a  brook  fell  in  a  foamy  cascade. 
Presently  they  were  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the 
range,  and  its  shadow  fell  over  the  train.  In  the  west 
the  sun  was  low. 

"  The  pass  is  there,  straight  ahead/'  said  Bright 
Sun,  pointing  to  the  steep  range. 

11  I  don't  see  any  opening,"  said  Conway. 

"It  is  so  narrow  and  the  pines  hide  it,"  rejoined 
Bright  Sun,  "  but  it  is  smooth  and  easy." 

Albert  was  at  the  rear  of  the  train.  He  had 
chosen  to  walk  in  the  later  hours  of  the  afternoon.  He 
had  become  very  tired,  but,  unwilling  to  confess  it  even 
to  himself,  he  did  not  resume  his  place  in  the  wagon. 
His  weariness  made  him  lag  behind. 

Albert  was  deeply  sensitive  to  the  impressions  of 
time  and  place.  The  twilight  seemed  to  him  to  fall  sud 
denly  like  a  great  black  robe.  The  pines  once  more 
blurred  into  a  dark,  unbroken  mass.  The  low  sun  in  the 
west  dipped  behind  the  hills,  and  the  rays  of  red  and 
gold  that  it  left  were  chill  and  cold. 

'  *  Your  brother  wishes  to  see  you.  He  is  at  the  foot 
of  the  creek  that  we  crossed  fifteen  minutes  ago." 

It  was  Bright  Sun  who  spoke. 

' '  Dick  wants  to  see  me  at  the  crossing  of  the  creek ! 
Why,  I  thought  he  was  ahead  of  me  with  the  train!  " 
exclaimed  Albert. 

"  No,  he  is  waiting  for  you.  He  said  that  it  was 
important,"  repeated  Bright  Sun. 

Albert  turned  in  the  darkening  twilight  and  went 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

back  on  the  trail  of  the  train  toward  the  crossing  of 
the  ereek.  Bright  Sun  went  to  the  head  of  the  train, 
and  saw  Dick  walking  there  alone  and  looking  at  the 
hiUs. 

"  Tour  brother  is  behind  at  the  creek/'  said  Bright 
Sun.  '  *  He  is  ill  and  wishes  you.  Hurry !  I  think  it  is 
important!  " 

11  Albert  at  the  creek,  ill?  "  exclaimed  Dick  in  sur 
prise  and  alarm.  '  *  Why,  I  thought  he  was  here  with  the 
train!  " 

But  Bright  Sun  was  gone  on  ahead.  Dick  turned 
back  hastily,  and  ran  along  the  trail  through  the  twi 
light  that  was  now  fast  merging  into  night. 

"  Al,  ill  and  left  behind!  "  he  exclaimed  again  and 
again.  "  He  must  have  overexerted  himself!  " 

His  alarm  deepened  when  he  saw  how  fast  the  dark 
ness  was  increasing.  The  chill  bars  of  red  and  gold  were 
gone  from  the  west.  When  he  looked  back  he  could  see 
the  train  no  more,  and  heard  only  the  faint  sound  of  the 
cracking  of  whips.  The  train  was  fast  disappearing  in 
the  pass. 

But  Dick  had  become  a  good  woodsman  and  plains 
man.  His  sense  of  direction  was  rarely  wrong,  and  he 
went  straight  upon  the  trail  for  the  creek.  Night  had 
now  come  but  it  was  not  very  dark,  and  presently  he  saw 
the  flash  of  water.  It  was  the  creek,  and  a  few  more 
steps  took  him  there.  A  figure  rose  out  of  the  shadows. 

"  Al!  "  he  cried.  "  Have  you  broken  down?  Why 
didn't  you  get  into  the  wagon?  " 

"  Dick,"  replied  Albert  in  a  puzzled  tone,  "  there's 
nothing  the  matter  with  me,  except  that  I'm  tired. 

40 


THE    PASS 

Bright  Sun  told  me  that  you  were  here  waiting  for  me, 
and  that  you  had  something  important  to  tell  me.  I 
couldn't  find  you,  and  now  you  come  running/' 

Dick  stopped  in  amazement. 

"  Bright  Sun  said  I  was  waiting  here  for  you,  and 
had  something  important  to  tell  you?  "  exclaimed  Dick, 
"  Why,  he  told  me  that  you  were  ill,  and  had  been  left 
unnoticed  at  the  crossing !  ' ' 

The  two  boys  stared  at  each  other. 

"  "What  does  it  mean?  "  they  exclaimed  together. 

From  the  dark  pass  before  them  came  a  sound  which 
in  the  distance  resembled  the  report  of  a  firecracker, 
followed  quickly  by  two  or  three  other  sounds,  and  then 
by  many,  as  if  the  whole  pack  had  been  ignited  at  once. 
But  both  boys  knew  it  was  not  firecrackers.  It  was 
something  far  more  deadly  and  terrible— a  hail  of  rifle 
bullets.  They  looked  toward  the  pass  and  saw  there  pink 
and  red  flashes  appearing  and  reappearing.  Shouts,  and 
mingled  with  them  a  continuous  long,  whining  cry,  a 
dreadful  overnote,  came  to  their  ears. 

11  The  train  has  been  attacked!  "  cried  Dick.  "  It 
has  marched  straight  into  an  ambush!  " 

"  Indians?  "  exclaimed  Albert,  who  was  trembling 
violently  from  sheer  physical  and  mental  excitement. 

"  It  couldn't  be  anything  else!  >5<  replied  Dick, 
"  This  is  their  country!  And  they  must  be  in  great 
force,  too !  Listen  how  the  fight  grows !  " 

The  volume  of  the  firing  increased  rapidly,  but  above 
it  always  rose  that  terrible  whining  note.  The  red  and 
pink  flashes  in  the  pass  danced  and  multiplied,  and  the 
wind  brought  the  faint  odor  of  smoke. 

41 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  We  must  help!  "  exclaimed  Dick.  "  One  can't 
stand  here  and  see  them  all  cut  down !  ' ' 

He  forgot  in  his  generous  heart,  at  that  moment,  that 
*ie  disliked  Conway  and  all  his  men,  and  that  he  and 
Albert  had  scarcely  a  friend  in  the  train.  He  thought 
only  of  doing  what  he  could  to  beat  back  the  Indian 
attack,  and  Albert  felt  the  same  impulse.  Both  had 
their  rifles— fine,  breech-loading,  repeating  weapons, 
and  with  these  the  two  might  do  much.  No  one 
ever  parted  with  his  arms  after  entering  the  Indian 
country. 

"  Come  on,  Albert!  "  exclaimed  Dick,  and  the  two 
ran  toward  the  pass.  But  before  they  had  gone  a  hun 
dred  yards  they  stopped  as  if  by  the  same  impulse. 
That  terrible  whining  note  was  now  rising  higher  and 
higher.  It  was  not  merely  a  war  whoop,  it  had  become 
also  a  song  of  triumph.  There  was  a  certain  silvery 
quality  in  the  flight  air,  a  quality  that  made  for  illu 
mination,  and  Dick  thought  he  saw  dusky  forms  flitting 
here  and  there  in  the  mouth  of  the  pass  behind  the 
train.  It  was  only  fancy,  because  he  was  too  far  away 
for  such  perception,  but  in  this  case  fancy  and  truth 
were  the  same. 

"  Hurry,  Dick!  Let's  hurry!  "  exclaimed  the  im 
pulsive  and  generous  Albert.  ' '  If  we  don 't,  we  '11  be  too 
late  to  do  anything !  ' ' 

They  started  again,  running  as  fast  as  they  could 
toward  that  space  in  the  dark  well  where  the  flashes  of 
red  and  blue  came  and  went.  Dick  was  so  intent  that 
he  did  not  hear  the  short,  quick  gasps  of  Albert,  but  he 
did  hear  a  sudden  fall  beside  him  and  stopped  short, 

42 


THE    PASS 

Albert  was  lying  on  his  back  unconscious.  A  faint  tinge 
of  abnormal  red  showed  on  his  lips. 

11  Oh,  I  forgot!    I  forgot!  "  groaned  Dick. 

Such  sudden  and  violent  exertion,  allied  with  the 
excitement  of  the  terrible  moment,  had  overpowered  the 
weak  boy.  Dick  bent  down  in  grief.  At  first  he  thought 
his  brother  was  dead,  but  the  breath  still  came. 

Dick  did  not  know  what  to  do.  In  the  pass,  under 
the  shadow  of  night,  the  pines,  and  the  mountain  wall, 
the  battle  still  flared  and  crackled,  but  its  volume  was 
dying.  Louder  rose  the  fierce,  whining  yell,  and  its  note 
was  full  of  ferocity  and  triumph,  while  the  hoarser  csies 
of  the  white  men  became  fewer  and  lower.  Now  Dick 
really  saw  dusky  figures  leaping  about  between  him  and 
the  train.  Something  uttering  a  shrill,  unearthly  cry  of 
pain  crashed  heavily  through  the  bushes  near  him  and 
quickly  passed  on.  It  was  a  wounded  horse,  running 
away. 

Dick  shuddered.  Then  he  lifted  Albert  in  his  arms, 
and  he  had  the  forethought,  even  in  that  moment  of  ex 
citement  and  danger,  to  pick  up  Albert's  rifle  also. 
Strong  as  he  naturally  was,  he  had  then  the  strength 
of  four,  and,  turning  off  at  a  sharp  angle,  he  ran 
with  Albert  toward  a  dense  thicket  which  clustered  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountain  wall. 

He  went  a  full  three  hundred  yards  before  he  was 
conscious  of  weariness,  and  he  was  then  at  the  edge  of 
the  thicket,  which  spread  over  a  wide  space.  He  laid 
Albert  down  on  some  of  last  year's  old  leaves,  and  then 
his  quick  eyes  caught  the  sight  of  a  little  pool  among 
some  rocks.  He  dipped  up  the  water  in  his  felt  hat,  and 

43 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

after  carefully  wiping  the  red  stain  from  his  brother's 
lips,  poured  the  cold  fluid  upon  his  face. 

Albert  revived,  sat  up,  and  tried  to  speak,  but  Dick 
pressed  his  hand  upon  his  mouth. 

"  Nothing  above  a  whisper,  Al,"  he  said  softly. 
"  The  fight  is  not  yet  wholly  over,  and  the  Sioux  are  all 
about." 

"  I  fainted, "  said  Albert  in  a  whisper.  "  0  Dick, 
what  a  miserable,  useless  fellow  I  am!  But  it  was  the 
excitement  and  the  run !  ' ' 

"  It  was  doubtless  a  lucky  thing  that  you  fainted," 
Dick  whispered  back.  "  If  you  hadn't,  both  of  us  would 
probably  be  dead  now." 

"It's  not  all  over  yet,"  said  Albert. 

'  *  No,  but  it  soon  will  be.  Thank  God,  we  Ve  got  our 
rifles.  Do  you  feel  strong  enough  to  walk  now,  Al  ?  The 
deeper  we  get  into  the  thicket  the  better  it  will  be 
for  us." 

Albert  rose  slowly  to  his  feet,  rocked  a  little,  and 
then  stood  straight. 

Only  a  few  flashes  were  appearing  now  in  the  pass. 
Dick  knew  too  well  who  had  been  victorious.  The  battle 
over,  the  Sioux  would  presently  be  ranging  for  strag 
glers  and  for  plunder.  He  put  one  arm  under  Albert, 
while  he  carried  both  of  the  rifles  himself.  They  walked 
on  through  the  thicket  and  the  night  gradually  dark 
ened.  The  silvery  quality  was  gone  from  the  air,  and 
the  two  boys  were  glad.  It  would  not  be  easy  to  find 
them  now.  In  the  pass  both  the  firing  and  the  long, 
whining  whoop  ceased  entirely.  The  flashes  of  red  or 
blue  appeared  no  more.  Silence  reigned  there  and  in 

44 


THE    PASS 

the  valley.  Dick  shivered  despite  himself.  For  the  mo 
ment  the  silence  was  more  terrible  than  the  noise  of  bat 
tle  had  been.  Black,  ominous  shadows  seemed  to  float 
down  from  the  mountains,  clothing  all  the  valley.  A 
chill  wind  came  up,  moaning  among  the  pines.  The  val 
ley,  so  warm  and  beautiful  in  the  day,  now  inspired  Dick 
with  a  sudden  and  violent  repulsion.  It  was  a  hateful 
place,  the  abode  of  horror  and  dread.  He  wished  to 
escape  from  it. 

They  crossed  the  thicket  and  came  up  against  the 
mountain  wall.  But  it  was  not  quite  so  steep  as  it  had 
/coked  in  the  distance,  and  in  the  faint  light  Dick  saw  the 
trace  of  a  trail  leading  up  the  slope  among  the  pines, 
it  was  not  the  trail  of  human  beings,  merely  a  faint  path 
indicating  that  wild  animals,  perhaps  cougars,  had 
passed  that  way. 

' '  How  are  you  feeling,  Al  ?  "  he  asked,  repeating  his 
anxious  query. 

"  Better.  My  strength  has  come  back/*  replied  his 
brother. 

"  Then  we'll  go  up  the  mountain.  "We  must  get  as 
far  away  as  we  can  from  those  fiends,  the  Sioux.  Thank 
God,  Al,  we're  spared  together!  " 

Each  boy  felt  a  moment  of  devout  thankfulness. 
They  had  not  fallen,  and  they  were  there  together !  Each 
also  thought  of  the  singular  message  that  Bright  Sun 
had  given  to  them,  but  neither  spoke  of  it. 

They  climbed  for  more  than  half  an  hour  in  silence, 
save  for  an  occasional  whisper.  The  bushes  helped  Al 
bert  greatly.  He  pulled  himself  along  by  means  of 
them,  and  now  and  then  the  two  boys  stopped  that  he 

45 


THE   LAST   OF   THE    CHIEFS 

might  rest.  He  was  still  excited  under  the  influence  of 
the  night,  the  distant  battle,  and  their  peril,  and  he 
breathed  in  short  gasps,  but  did  not  faint  again.  Dick 
thrust  his  arm  at  intervals  under  his  brother's  and 
helped  him  in  the  ascent. 

After  climbing  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  they  stopped 
longer  than  usual  and  looked  down  at  the  pass,  which 
Dick  reckoned  should  now  be  almost  beneath  them. 
They  heard  the  faint  sound  of  a  shot,  saw  a  tiny  beam 
of  red  appear,  then  disappear,  and  after  that  there  was 
only  silence  and  blank  darkness. 

"  It's  all  over  now/'  whispered  Albert,  and  it  was  a 
whisper  not  of  caution,  but  of  awe. 

"  Yes,  it's  all  over,"  Dick  said  in  the  same  tone. 
"  It's  likely,  Al,  that  you  and  I  alone  out  of  all  that 
train  are  alive.  Con  way  and  all  the  others  are  gone." 

"  Except  Bright  Sun,"  said  Albert. 

The  two  boys  looked  at  each  other  again,  but  said 
nothing.  They  then  resumed  their  climbing,  finding  it 
easier  this  time.  They  reached  a  height  at  which  the 
undergrowth  ceased,  but  the  pines,  growing  almost  in 
ordered  rows,  stretched  onward  and  upward.  Dick  sent 
occasional  glances  toward  the  pass,  but  the  darkness 
there  remained  unbroken.  Every  time  he  turned  his 
eyes  that  way  he  seemed  to  be  looking  into  a  black  wefl 
•of  terror. 

; 

Both  Dick  and  Albert,  after  the  first  hour  of  ascent, 
had  a  feeling  of  complete  safety.  The  Sioux,  occupied 
with  their  great  ambush  and  victory,  would  not  know 
there  had  been  two  stragglers  behind  the  train,  and  even 
had  they  known,  to  search  for  them  among  the  dense 

46 


THE    PASS 

forests  of  distant  mountain  slopes  would  be  a  futile  task. 
Dick's  mind  turned  instead  to  the  needs  of  their  situa 
tion,  and  he  began  to  appreciate  the  full  danger  and 
hardship  of  it. 

Albert  and  he  were  right  in  feeling  thankful  that 
they  were  spared  together,  although  they  were  alone  in 
the  wilderness  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  It  was  hun 
dreds  of  miles  north,  east,  south,  and  west  to  the  habi 
tations  of  white  men.  Before  them,  fold  on  fold,  lay 
unknown  mountains,  over  which  only  hostile  savages 
roamed.  Both  he  and  Albert  had  good  rifles  and  belts 
full  of  cartridges,  but  that  was  all.  It  was  a  situation 
to  daunt  the  most  fearless  heart,  and  the  shiver  that  sud 
denly  ran  over  Dick  did  not  come  from  the  cold  of  the 
night. 

They  took  a  long  rest  in  a  little  clump  of  high  pines 
and  saw  a  cold,  clear  moon  come  out  in  the  pale  sky. 
They  felt  the  awful  sense  of  desolation  and  loneliness,  for 
it  seemed  to  them  that  the  moon  was  looking  down  on  an 
uninhabited  world  in  which  only  they  were  left.  They 
heard  presently  little  rustlings  in  the  grass,  and  thought 
at  first  it  was  another  ambush,  though  they  knew  upon 
second  thought  that  it  was  wild  creatures  moving  on  the 
mountain  side. 

"  Come,  Al,"  said  Dick.  "  Another  half  hour  will 
put  us  on  top  of  the  ridge,  and  then  I  think  it  will  be  safe 
for  us  to  stop." 

"  I  hope  they'll  be  keeping  a  good  room  for  us  at  the 
hotel  up  there,"  said  Albert  wanly. 

Dick  tried  to  laugh,  but  it  was  a  poor  imitation  and 
he  gave  it  up. 

47 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  We  may  find  some  sort  of  a  sheltered  nook/'  he 
said  hopefully. 

Dick  had  become  conscious  that  it  was  cold,  since 
the  fever  in  his  blood  was  dying  down.  Whenever  they 
stopped  and  their  bodies  relaxed,  they  suffered  from 
chill.  He  was  deeply  worried  about  Albert,  who  was 
in  no  condition  to  endure  exposure  on  a  bleak  mountain, 
and  wished  now  for  the  buffalo  robe  they  had  regarded 
as  such  a  fine  trophy. 

They  reached  the  crest  of  the  ridge  in  a  half  hour, 
as  Dick  had  expected,  and  looking  northward  in  the 
moonlight  saw  the  dim  outlines  of  other  ridges  and 
peaks  in  a  vast,  intricate  maze.  A  narrow,  wooded  val 
ley  seemed  to  occupy  the  space  between  the  ridge  on 
which  they  stood  and  the  next  one  parallel  to  it  to  the 
northward. 

' '  It  ought  to  be  a  good  place  down  there  to  hide  and 
rest/'  said  Albert. 

"  I  think  you're  right, "  said  Dick,  "  and  we'll  go 
down  the  slope  part  of  the  way  before  we  camp  for  the 
night. " 

They  found  the  descent  easy.  It  was  still  open  forest, 
mostly  pine  with  a  sprinkling  of  ash  and  oak,  and  it  was 
warmer  on  the  northerr  side,  the  winds  having  but  lit 
tle  sweep  there. 

The  moon  became  brighter,  but  it  remained  cold  and 
pitiless,  recking  nothing  of  the  tragedy  in  the  pass.  It 
gave  Dick  a  chill  to  look  at  it.  But  he  spent  most  of  the 
time  watching  among  the  trees  for  some  sheltered  spot 
that  Nature  had  made.  It  was  over  an  hour  before  he 
found  it,  a  hollow  among  rocks,  with  dwarf  pines  clus- 

48 


THE    PASS 

tering  thickly  at  the  sides  and  in  front.  It  was  so  well 
hidden  that  he  would  have  missed  it  had  he  not  been 
looking  for  just  such  a  happy  alcove,  and  at  first  he  was 
quite  sure  that  some  wild  animal  must  be  using  it  as 
a  den. 

He  poked  in  the  barrel  of  his  rifle,  but  nothing  flew 
out,  and  then,  pulling  back  the  pine  boughs,  he  saw  no 
signs  of  a  previous  occupation. 

"  It's  just  waiting  for  us,  Al,  old  fellow,"  he  said 
gayly,  ' '  but  nothing  of  this  kind  is  so  good  that  it  can 't 
be  made  better.  Look  at  all  those  dead  leaves  over  there 
under  the  oaks.  Been  drying  ever  since  last  year  and 
fuU  of  warmth/* 

They  raked  the  dead  leaves  into  the  nook,  covering 
the  floor  of  it  thickly,  and  piling  them  up  on  the  sides 
as  high  as  they  would  stay,  and  then  they  lay  down  in 
side,  letting  the  pine  boughs  in  front  fall  back  into  place. 
It  was  really  warm  and  cozy  in  there  for  two  boys  who 
had  been  living  out  of  doors  for  weeks,  and  Dick  drew  a 
deep,  long  breath  of  content. 

"  Suppose  a  panther  should  come  snooping  along," 
said  Albert,  "  and  think  this  the  proper  place  for  his 
bed  and  board?  " 

"  He'd  never  come  in,  don't  you  fear.  He'd  smell 
us  long  before  he  got  here,  and  then  strike  out  in  the 
other  direction." 

Albert  was  silent  quite  a  while,  and  as  he  made  no 
noise,  Dick  thought  he  was  asleep.  But  Albert  spoke  at 
last,  though  he  spoke  low  and  his  tone  was  very  solemn, 

"  Dick,"  he  said,  "  we've  really  got  a  lot  to  be 
thankful  for.  You  know  that." 

49 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

**  I  certainly  do,"  said  Dick  with  emphasis.  "  Now 
you  go  to  sleep,  Al." 

Albert  was  silent  again,  and  presently  his  breath 
ing  became  very  steady  and  regular.  Dick  touched 
him  and  saw  that  he  was  fast  asleep.  Then  the  older 
boy  took  off  his  coat  and  carefully  spread  it  on  the 
younger,  after  which  he  raked  a  great  lot  of  the  dry 
leaves  over  himself,  and  soon  he,  too,  was  sound 
asleep. 

Dick  awoke  far  in  the  night  and  stirred  in  his  bed 
of  leaves.  But  the  movement  caused  him  a  little  pain, 
and  he  wondered  dimly,  because  he  had  not  yet  fully 
come  through  the  gates  of  sleep,  and  he  did  not  remem 
ber  where  he  was  or  what  had  happened.  A  tiny  shaft 
of  pale  light  fell  on  his  forehead,  and  he  looked  up 
through  pine  branches.  It  was  the  moon  that  sent  the 
beam  down  upon  him,  but  he  could  see  nothing  else. 
He  stirred  again  and  the  little  pain  returned.  Then  all 
of  it  came  back  to  him. 

Dick  reached  out  his  hand  and  touched  Albert.  His 
brother  was  sleeping  soundly,  and  he  was  still  warm,  the 
coat  having  protected  him.  But  Dick  was  cold,  despite 
the  pines,  the  rocks,  and  the  leaves.  It  was  the  cold 
that  had  caused  the  slight  pain  in  his  joints  when  he 
moved,  but  he  rose  softly  lest  he  wake  Albert,  and 
slipped  outside,  standing  in  a  clear  space  between  the 
pines. 

The  late  moon  was  of  uncommon  brilliancy.  It 
seemed  a  molten  mass  of  burnished  silver,  and  its  light 
fell  over  forest  and  valley,  range  and  peak.  The  trees 
on  the  slopes  stood  out  like  lacework,  but  far  down  in 

50 


THE    PASS 

the  valley  the  light  seemed  to  shimmer  like  waves  on  a 
sea  of  silver  mist.  It  was  all  inexpressibly  cold,  and  of  a 
loneliness  that  was  uncanny.  Nothing  stirred,  not  a 
twig,  not  a  blade  of  grass.  It  seemed  to  Dick  that 
if  even  a  leaf  fell  on  the  far  side  of  the  mountain  he 
could  hear  it.  It  was  a  great,  primeval  world,  voice 
less  and  unpeopled,  brooding  in  a  dread  and  mystic 
silence. 

Dick  shivered.  He  had  shivered  often  that  night, 
but  now  the  chill  went  to  the  marrow.  It  was  the  chill 
the  first  man  must  have  felt  when  he  was  driven  from 
the  garden  and  faced  the  globe-girdling  forest.  He  came 
back  to  the  rock  covert  and  leaned  over  until  he  could 
hear  his  brother  breathing  beneath  the  pine  boughs. 
Then  he  felt  the  surge  of  relief,  of  companionship — after 
all,  he  was  not  alone  in  the  wilderness! — and  returned 
to  the  clear  space  between  the  pines.  There  he  walked 
up  and  down  briskly,  swinging  his  arms,  exercising  all 
his  limbs,  until  the  circulation  was  fully  restored  and  he 
was  warm  again. 

Dick  felt  the  immensity  of  the  problem  that  lay  be 
fore  him — one  that  he  alone  must  solve  if  it  were  to  be 
solved  at  all.  He  and  Albert  had  escaped  the  massacre, 
but  how  were  they  to  live  in  that  wilderness  of  moun 
tains?  It  was  not  alone  the  question  of  food.  How 
were  they  to  save  themselves  from  death  by  exposure? 
Those  twinges  in  his  knees  had  been  warning  signs. 
Oddly  enough,  his  mind  now  fastened  upon  one  thing. 
He  was  longing  for  the  lost  buffalo  robe,  his  first  great 
prize.  It  had  been  so  large  and  so  warm,  and  the  fur 
was  so  soft.  It  would  cover  both  Albert  and  himself, 

51 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  keep  them  warm  on  the  coldest  night.  If  they  only 
had  it  now!  He  thought  more  of  that  robe  just  then 
than  he  did  of  the  food  that  they  would  need  in  the 
morning.  Cast  forth  upon  a  primeval  world,  this 
first  want  occupied  his  mind  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
others. 

He  returned  to  the  rocky  alcove  presently,  and  lay 
down  again.  He  was  too  young  and  too  healthy  to  re^ 
main  awake  long,  despite  the  full  measure  of  their  situ 
ation,  and  soon  he  slept  soundly  once  more.  He  was 
first  to  awake  in  the  morning,  and  the  beam  that  struck 
upon  his  forehead  was  golden  instead  of  silver.  It  was 
warm,  too,  and  cheerful,  and  as  Dick  parted  the 
branches  and  looked  out,  he  saw  that  the  sun  was  riding 
high.  It  had  been  daylight  a  full  three  hours  at  least, 
but  it  did  not  matter.  Time  was  perhaps  the  only  com 
modity  of  which  he  and  Albert  now  had  enough  and 
to  spare. 

He  took  his  coat  off  Albert  and  put  it  on  himself,  lest 
Albert  might  suspect,  and  then  began  to  sing  purposely, 
with  loudness  and  levity,  an  old  farm  rhyme  that  had 
been  familiar  to  the  boys  of  his  vicinity : 

"Wake  up,  Jake,  the  day  is  breaking, 
The  old  cow  died,  her  tail  shaking." 

Albert  sat  up,  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  stared  at  Dick 
and  the  wilderness. 

"  Now  look  at  him!  "  cried  Dick.  "  He  thinks  he's 
been  called  too  early.  He  thinks  he  'd  like  to  sleep  eight 
or  ten  hours  longer!  Get  up,  little  boy!  Yes,  it's 

52 


THE    PASS 

Christmas  morning !  Come  and  see  what  good  old  Santa 
has  put  in  your  stocking !  ' ' 

Albert  yawned  again  and  laughed.  Really,  Dick  was 
such  a  cheerful,  funny  fellow  that  he  always  kept  one 
in  good  spirits.  Good  old  Dick ! 

"  Old  Santa  filled  our  stockings,  all  right,"  contin 
ued  Dick,  "but  he  was  so  busy  cramming  'em  full  of 
great  forests  and  magnificent  scenery  that  he  forgot 
to  leave  any  breakfast  for  us,  and  I'm  afraid  we'll 
have  to  hustle  for  it." 

They  started  down  the  mountain  slope,  and  presently 
they  came  to  a  swift  little  brook,  in  which  they  bathed 
their  faces,  removing,  at  the  same  time,  fragments  of 
twigs  and  dried  leaves  from  their  hair. 

"  That  was  fine  and  refreshing,"  said  Dick,  "  but 
it  doesn't  fill  my  stomach.  Al,  I  could  bite  a  tenpenny 
nail  in  half  and  digest  both  pieces,  too." 

"  I  don't  care  for  nails,"  said  Albert,  "  but  I  think 
I  could  gnaw  down  a  good-sized  sapling.  Hold  me,  Dick, 
or  I'll  be  devouring  a  pine  tree." 

Both  laughed,  and  put  as  good  a  face  on  it  as  they 
could,  but  they  were  frightfully  hungry,  nevertheless. 
But  they  had  grown  up  on  farms,  and  they  knew 
that  the  woods  must  contain  food  of  some  kind  or 
Jther.  They  began  a  search,  and  after  a  while  they 
found  wild  plums,  now  ripe,  which  they  ate  freely. 
Then  they  felt  stronger  and  better,  but,  after  all,  it 
was  a  light  diet  and  they  must  obtain  food  of  more 
sustenance. 

"  There  are  deer,  of  course,  in  this  valley,  "said  Dick, 
fingering  his  rifle,  ' '  and  sooner  or  later  we  '11  ge£  -a  shot 

53 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

at  one  of  them,  but  it  may  be  days,  and — Al — I've  got 
another  plan." 

"  What  is  it?  " 

"  You  know,  Al,  that  I  can  travel  pretty  fast  any 
where.  Now  those  Sioux,  after  cutting  down  the  train 
and  wiping  out  all  the  people,  would  naturally  go  away. 
They'd  load  themselves  up  with  spoil  and  scoot.  But 
a  lot,  scattered  here  and  there,  would  be  left  behind. 
Some  of  the  teams  would  run  away  in  all  the  shooting 
and  shouting.  And,  Al,  you  and  I  need  those  things! 
"We  must  have  them  if  we  are  going  to  live,  and  we  both 
want  to  live !  ' ' 

"  Do  you  mean,  Dick,  that  you're  going  back  down 
there  in  that  awful  pass  ?  ' ' 

"  That's  just  about  what  I  had  on  my  mind,"  re 
plied  Dick  cheerily;  "  and  now  that  I've  got  it  off,  I 
feel  better." 

11  But  you  can  never  get  back  alive,  Dick!  "  ex 
claimed  Albert,  his  eyes  widening  in  horror  at  the  mem 
ory  of  what  they  had  seen  and  heard  the  night  before. 

' '  Get  back  alive  ?  Why,  of  course  I  will, ' '  responded 
Dick.  ' '  And  I  '11  do  more  than  that,  too.  You  11  see  me 
come  galloping  up  the  mountain,  bearing  hogsheads  and 
barrels  of  provisions.  But,  seriously,  Al,  it  must  be 
done.  If  I  don 't  go,  we  '11  starve  to  death. ' ' 

"  Then  I'm  going,  too." 

"  No,  Al,  old  boy,  you're  not  strong  enough  just  yet, 
though  you  will  be  soon.  There  are  certainly  no  Sioux 
in  this  little  valley,  and  it  would  be  well  if  you  were  to 
go  back  up  the  slope  and  stay  in  the  pine  shelter.  It's 
likely  that  I  '11  be  gone  nearly  all  day,  but  don 't  be  wor- 

54 


THE    PASS 

ried.     You'll  have  one  of  the  rifles  with  you,  and  you 
know  how  to  use  it." 

Albert  had  a  clear  and  penetrating  mind,  and  he  saw 
the  truth  of  Dick's  words.  They  went  back  up  the  slope, 
where  he  crept  within  the  pine  shelter  and  lay  down  on 
the  leaves,  while  Dick  went  alone  on  his  mission. 


CHAPTER   IV 

TBEASURE-TROVfi 

WHEN  Dick  passed  the  crest  of  the  ridge  and 
began  the  descent  toward  the  fatal  pass,  his 
heart  beat  heavily.  The  terror  and  shock  of 
the  night  before,  those  distant  shots  and  shouts,  returned 
to  him,  and  it  was  many  minutes  before  he  could  shake 
off  a  dread  that  was  almost  superstitious  in  its  nature. 
But  youth,  health,  and  the  sunlight  conquered.  The 
day  was  uncommonly  brilliant.  The  mountains  rolled 
back,  green  on  the  slopes,  blue  at  the  crests,  and  below 
him,  like  a  brown  robe,  lay  the  wavering  plain  across 
which  they  had  come. 

Dick  could  see  no  sign  of  human  life  down  there. 
No  rejoicing  Sioux  warrior  galloped  over  the  swells,  no 
echo  of  a  triumphant  war  whoop  came  to  his  ear.  Over 
mountain  and  plain  alike  the  silence  of  the  desert 
brooded.  But  high  above  the  pass  great  black  birds 
wheeled  on  lazy  pinions. 

Dick  believed  more  strongly  than  ever  that  the  Sioux 
had  gone  away.  Savage  tribes  do  not  linger  over  a  bat 
tlefield  that  is  finished;  yet  as  he  reached  the  bottom 
of  the  slope  his  heart  began  to  beat  heavily  again,  and 
he  was  loath  to  leave  the  protecting  shadow  of  the  pines. 

56 


TREASURE-TROVE 

He  fingered  his  rifle,  passing  his  hand  gently  over  the 
barrel  and  the  trigger.  It  was  a  fine  weapon,  a  beautiful 
weapon,  and  just  at  this  moment  it  was  a  wonderful 
weapon.  He  felt  in  its  full  force,  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life,  what  the  rifle  meant  to  the  pioneer. 

The  boy,  after  much  hesitation  and  a  great  searching 
of  eye  and  ear,  entered  the  pass.  At  once  the  sunlight 
dimmed.  Walls  as  straight  as  the  side  of  a  house  rose 
above  him  three  or  four  hundred  feet,  while  the  distance 
between  was  not  more  than  thirty  feet.  Dwarf  pines 
grew  here  and  there  in  the  crannies  of  the  cliffs,  but 
mostly  the  black  rock  showed.  Dwarf  pines  also  grew 
at  the  bottom  of  the  pass  close  to  either  cliff,  and  Dick 
kept  among  them,  bending  far  down  and  advancing  very 
slowly. 

Fifty  yards  were  passed,  and  still  there  was  no  sound 
save  a  slight  moaning  through  the  pass,  which  Dick  knew 
•was  the  sigh  of  the  wind  drawn  into  the  narrow  cleft. 
It  made  him  shudder,  and  had  he  not  been  of  uncom 
mon  courage  he  would  have  turned  back. 

He  looked  up.  The  great  black  birds,  wheeling  on 
Jazy  pinions,  seemed  to  have  sunk  lower.  That  made 
him  shudder,  too,  but  it  was  another  confirmation  of  his 
belief  that  all  the  Sioux  had  gone.  He  went  eight  or  ten 
yards  farther  and  then  stopped  short.  Before  him  lay 
two  dead  horses  and  an  overturned  wagon.  Both  horses 
had  been  shot,  and  were  still  in  their  gear  attached  to  the 
wagon. 

Dick  examined  the  wagon  carefully,  and  as  he  yet 
heard  and  saw  no  signs  of  a  human  being  save  himself, 
his  courage  grew.  It  was  a  big  wagon  of  the  kind  used 

57 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

for  crossing  the  plains,  with  boxes  around  the  inside  like 
lockers.  Almost  everything  of  value  had  been  taken  by 
the  Sioux,  but  in  one  of  the  lockers  Dick  was  lucky 
enough  to  find  a  large,  heavy,  gray  blanket.  He  rolled 
it  up  at  once,  and  with  a  strap  cut  from  the  horse 's  gear 
tied  it  on  his  back,  after  the  fashion  of  a  soldier  on  the 
march. 

"  The  first  great  treasure!  "  he  murmured  exult 
antly.  ' '  Now  for  the  next !  ' ' 

He  found  in  the  same  wagon,  jammed  under  the 
driver's  seat  and  hidden  from  hasty  view,  about  the  half 
of  a  side  of  bacon— ten  pounds,  perhaps.  Dick  fair^ 
laughed  when  he  got  his  hands  upon  it,  and  he  clasped 
it  lovingly,  as  if  it  were  a  ten-pound  nugget  of  pure  gold. 
But  it  was  far  better  than  gold  just  then.  He  wrapped 
it  in  a  piece  of  canvas  which  he  cut  from  the  cover  of 
the  wagon,  and  tied  it  on  his  back  above  the  blanket. 

Finding  nothing  more  of  value  in  the  wagon,  he  re 
sumed  his  progress  up  the  pass.  It  was  well  for  Dick 
that  he  was  stout-hearted,  and  well  for  him,  too,  that  he 
was  driven  by  great  need,  else  he  would  surely  have 
gone  back. 

He  was  now  come  into  the  thick  of  it.  Around  him 
everywhere  lay  the  fallen,  and  the  deeds  done  in  Indian 
warfare  were  not  lacking.  Sam  Conway  lay  upon  his 
side,  and  brutal  as  the  man  had  been,  Dick  felt  grief 
when  he  saw  him.  Here  were  others,  too,  that  he  knew, 
and  he  counted  the  bodies  of  the  few  women  who  had 
been  with  the  train.  They  had  died  probably  in  the 
battle  like  the  rest.  They,  like  the  men,  had  been  hard 
ened,  rough,  and  coarse  of  speech  and  act,  but  Dick  felt 

58 


TREASURE-TROVE 

grief,  too,  when  he  saw  them.  Nearly  all  the  animals 
had  been  slain  also  in  the  fury  of  the  attack,  and  they 
were  scattered  far  up  the  pass. 

Dick  resolutely  turned  his  face  away  from  the  dead 
and  began  to  glean  among  the  wagons  for  what  the  Sioux 
might  have  left.  All  these  wagons  were  built  like  the 
first  that  he  had  searched,  and  he  was  confident  that  he 
would  find  much  of  value.  Nor  was  he  disappointed. 
He  found  three  more  blankets,  and  in  their  own  wagon 
the  buffalo  robe  that  he  had  lamented.  Doubtless,  its 
presence  there  was  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the 
Sioux  did  not  consider  a  buffalo  robe  a  trophy  of  their 
victory  over  white  men. 

Other  treasures  were  several  boxes  of  crackers, 
about  twenty  boxes  of  sardines,  three  flasks  of  brandy, 
suitable  for  illness,  a  heavy  riding  cloak,  a  Virginia 
ham,  two  boxes  of  matches,  a  small  iron  skillet,  and  an 
empty  tin  canteen.  He  might  have  searched  further, 
but  he  realized  that  time  was  passing,  and  that  Albert 
must  be  on  the  verge  of  starvation.  He  had  forgotten 
his  own  hunger  in  the  excitement  of  seek  and  find,  but 
it  came  back  now  and  gnawed  at  him  fiercely.  Yet  he 
would  not  touch  any  of  the  food.  No  matter  how  great 
the  temptation  he  would  not  take  a  single  bite  until 
Albert  had  the  same  chance. 

He  now  made  all  his  treasures  into  one  great  package, 
except  the  buffalo  robe.  That  was  too  heavy  to  add  to 
the  others,  and  he  tied  it  among  the  boughs  of  a  pine, 
where  the  wolves  could  not  reach  it.  Then,  with  the 
big  pack  on  his  back,  he  began  the  return.  It  was  more 
weight  than  he  would  have  liked  to  carry  at  an  ordinary 

59 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

time,  but  now  in  his  elation  he  scarcely  felt  it.  He  went 
rapidly  up  the  slope  and  by  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
was  going  down  the  other  side. 

As  he  approached  the  pine  alcove  he  whistled  a  fam 
iliar  tune,  popular  at  the  time — "  Silver  Threads  Among 
the  Gold/'  He  knew  that  Albert,  if  he  were  there — 
and  surely  he  must  be  there — would  recognize  his  whistle 
Said  come  forth.  He  stopped,  and  his  heart  hammered 
for  a  moment,  but  Albert's  whistle  took  up  the  second 
line  of  the  air  and  Albert  himself  came  forth  jauntily. 

'  *  We  win,  Al,  old  boy !  ' '  called  Dick.  * '  Just  look  at 
this  pack!  " 

"  I  can't  look  at  anything  else,"  replied  Albert  in 
the  same  joyful  tones.  "  It's  so  big  that  I  don't  see  you 
under  it.  Dick,  have  you  robbed  a  treasure  ship  ?  ' ' 

"  No,  Al,"  replied  Dick,  very  soberly,  "  I  haven't 
robbed  a  treasure  ship,  but  I've  been  prowling  with  suc 
cess  over  a  lost  battlefield — a  ghoul  I  believe  they  call 
such  a  person,  but  it  had  to  be  done.  I've  enough  food 
here  to  last  a  week  at  least,  and  we  may  find  more." 

He  put  down  his  pack  and  took  out  the  bacon.  As 
Albert  looked  at  it  he  began  unconsciously  to  clinch 
and  unclinch  his  teeth.  Dick  saw  his  face,  and,  knowing 
that  the  same  eager  look  was  in  his  own,  he  laughed  a 
little. 

"  Al,"  he  said,  "  you  and  I  know  now  how  wolves 
often  feel,  but  we're  not  going  to  behave  like  wolves. 
"We're  going  to  light  a  fire  and  cook  this  bacon.  We'll 
take  the  risk  of  the  flame  or  the  smoke  being  seen  by 
Sioux.  In  so  vast  a  country  the  chances  are  all  in  our 
favor." 

60 


TREASURE-TROVE 

They  gathered  up  pine  cones  and  other  fallen  wood, 
and  with  the  help  of  the  matches  soon  had  a  fire.  Then 
they  cut  strips  of  bacon  and  fried  them  on  the  ends  of 
sharpened  sticks,  the  sputter  making  the  finest  music  in 
their  ears. 

Never  before  had  either  tasted  food  so  delicious,  and 
they  ate  strip  after  strip.  Dick  noticed  with  pleasure 
how  the  color  came  into  Albert's  cheeks,  and  how  his 
eyes  began  to  sparkle.  Sleeping  under  the  pines  seemed 
to  have  benefited  instead  of  injuring  him,  and  certainly 
there  was  a  wonderful  healing  balm  in  the  air  of  that 
pine-clad  mountain  slope.  Dick  could  feel  it  himself. 
How  strong  he  was  after  eating!  He  shook  his  big 
shoulders. 

'  *  What  are  you  bristling  up  about  ?  ' '  asked  Albert. 

' '  Merely  getting  ready  to  start  again, ' '  replied  Dick. 
"  You  know  the  old  saying,  Al,  '  youVe  got  to  hit  while 
the  iron's  hot.'  More  treasure  is  down  there  in  the  pass, 
but  if  we  wait  it  won't  stay  there.  Everything  that  we 
get  now  is  worth  more  to  us  than  diamonds." 

"  It's  so,"  said  Albert,  and  then  he  sighed  sadly  as 
he  added,  ' '  How  I  wish  I  were  strong  enough  to  go  with 
you  and  help !  ' ' 

11  Just  you  wait,"  said  Dick.  "  You'll  be  as  strong 
as  a  horse  in  a  month,  and  then  you'll  have  to  do  all 
the  work  and  bring  me  my  breakfast  in  the  morning 
as  I  lie  in  bed.  Besides,  you'd  have  to  stay  here  and 
guard  the  treasure  that  we  already  have.  Better  get  into 
the  pine  den.  Bears  and  wolves  may  be  drawn  by  the 
scent  of  the  food,  and  they  might  think  of  attacking 


yon." 


61 


THE    LAST   OP    THE    CHIEFS 

They  put  out  the  fire,  and  while  Albert  withdrew 
into  the  pine  shelter,  Dick  started  again  over  the  moun 
tain.  The  sun  was  setting  blood  red  in  the  west,  and  in 
the  east  the  shadows  of  twilight  were  advancing.  It 
required  a  new  kind  of  courage  to  enter  the  pass  in  the 
night,  and  Dick's  shudders  returned.  At  certain  times 
there  is  something  in  the  dark  that  frightens  the  bravest 
and  those  most  used  to  it. 

Dick  hurried.  He  knew  the  way  down  the  mountain 
now,  and  after  the  food  and  rest  he  was  completely  re 
freshed.  But  fast  as  he  went  the  shadows  of  twilight 
came  faster,  and  when  he  reached  the  bottom  of  the 
mountain  it  was  quite  dark.  The  plain  before  him  was 
invisible,  and  the  forest  on  the  slope  behind  him  was  a 
solid  robe  of  black. 

Dick  set  foot  in  the  pass  and  then  stopped.  It  was 
not  dread  but  awe  that  thrilled  him  in  every  vein.  He 
saw  nothing  before  him  but  the  well  of  darkness  that  was 
the  great  slash  in  the  mountains.  The  wind,  caught  be 
tween  the  walls,  moaned  as  in  the  day,  and  he  knew  per 
fectly  well  what  it  was,  but  it  had  all  the  nature  of  a 
dirge,  nevertheless.  Overhead  a  few  dim  stars  wavered 
in  a  dusky  sky. 

Dick  forced  himself  to  go  on.  It  required  now  moral, 
as  well  as  physical,  courage  to  approach  that  lost  battle 
field  lying  under  its  pall  of  night.  Never  was  the  boy 
a  greater  hero  than  at  that  moment.  He  advanced 
slowly.  A  bush  caught  him  by  the  coat  and  held  him 
an  instant.  He  felt  as  if  he  had  been  seized  in  a 
man's  grasp.  He  reached  the  first  wagon,  and  it  seemed 
to  him,  broken  and  rifled,  an  emblem  of  desolation.  As 

62 


TREASURE-TROVE 

he  passed  it  a  strange,  low,  whining  cry  made  his  back 
bone  turn  to  ice.  But  he  recovered  and  forced  an  uneasy 
little  laugh  at  himself.  It  was  only  a  wolf,  the  mean 
eoyote  of  the  prairies ! 

He  came  now  into  the  space  where  the  mass  of  the 
wagons  and  the  fallen  lay.  Dark  figures,  low  and  skulk 
ing,  darted  away.  More  wolves!  But  one,  a  huge  tim 
ber  wolf,  with  a  powerful  body  and  long  fangs,  stood 
up  boldly  and  stared  at  him  with  red  eyes.  Dick 's  own 
eyes  were  used  to  the  darkness  now,  and  he  stared  back 
at  the  wolf,  which  seemed  to  be  giving  him  a  challenge. 
He  half  raised  his  rifle,  but  the  monster  did  not  move. 
It  was  a  stranger  to  guns,  and  this  wilderness  was  its 
own, 

It  was  Dick's  first  impulse  to  fire  at  the  space  be 
tween  the  red  eyes,  but  he  restrained  it.  He  had  not 
come  there  to  fight  with  wolves,  nor  to  send  the  report 
of  a  shot  through  the  mountains.  He  picked  up  a  stone 
and  threw  it  at  the  wolf,  striking  him  on  the  flank.  The 
monster  turned  and  stalked  sullenly  away,  showing  but 
little  sign  of  fear.  Dick  pursued  his  task,  and  as  he  ad 
vanced  something  rose  and,  flapping  heavily,  sailed 
away.  The  shiver  came  again,  but  his  will  stopped  it. 

He  was  now  in  the  center  of  the  wreckage,  which 
in  the  darkness  looked  as  if  it  had  all  happened  long  ago. 
Nearly  every  wagon  had  been  turned  over,  and  now  and 
then  dark  forms  lay  between  the  wheels.  The  wind 
moaned  incessantly  down  the  pass  and  over  the  ruin. 

Overcoming  his  repulsion,  Dick  went  to  work.  The 
moxm  was  now  coming  out  and  he  could  see  well  enough 
for  his  task.  There  was  still  much  gleaning  left  by  the 

63 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

quick  raiders,  and  everything  would  be  of  use  to  Albert 
and  himself,  even  to  the  very  gear  on  the  fallen  animals. 
He  cut  off  a  great  quantity  of  this  at  once  and  put  it  in  a 
heap  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff.  Then  he  invaded  the  wagons 
and  again  brought  forth  treasures  better  than  gold. 

He  found  in  one  side  box  some  bottles  of  medicine, 
the  simple  remedies  of  the  border,  which  he  packed  very 
carefully,  and  in  another  he  discovered  half  a  sack  of 
flour— fifty  pounds,  perhaps.  A  third  rewarded  him 
with  a  canister  of  tea  and  a  twenty-pound  bag  of  ground 
coffee.  He  clutched  these  treasures  eagerly.  They 
would  be  invaluable  to  Albert. 

Continuing  his  search,  he  was  rewarded  with  two 
pairs  of  heavy  shoes,  an  ax,  a  hatchet,  some  packages  of 
pins,  needles,  and  thread,  and  a  number  of  cooking  uten 
sils—pots,  kettles,  pans,  and  skillets.  Just  as  he  was 
about  to  quit  for  the  purpose  of  making  up  his  pack, 
he  noticed  in  one  of  the  wagons  a  long,  narrow  locker 
made  into  the  side  and  fastened  with  a  stout  padlock. 
The  wagon  had  been  plundered,  but  evidently  the  Sioux 
had  balked  at  the  time  this  stout  box  would  take  for 
opening,  and  had  passed  on.  Dick,  feeling  sure  that  it 
must  contain  something  of  value,  broke  the  padlock  with 
the  head  of  the  ax.  When  he  looked  in  he  uttered  a 
cry  of  delight  at  his  reward. 

He  brought  forth  from  the  box  a  beautiful  double- 
barreled  breech-loading  shotgun,  and  the  bounty  of 
chance  did  not  stop  with  the  gun,  for  in  the  locker  were 
over  a  thousand  cartridges  to  fit  it.  Dick  foresaw  at  once 
that  it  would  be  invaluable  to  Albert  and  himself  in  the 
pursuit  of  wild  ducks,  wild  geese,  and  other  feathered 

64 


TREASURE-TROVE 

game.  He  removed  some  of  the  articles  from  his  pack, 
which  was  already  heavy  enough,  and  put  the  shotgun 
and  cartridges  in  their  place.  Then  he  set  forth  on  the 
return  journey. 

As  he  left  the  wagons  and  went  toward  the  mouth  of 
the  pass,  he  heard  soft,  padding  sounds  behind  him,  and 
knew  that  the  wolves  were  returning,  almost  on  his  heels. 
He  looked  back  once,  and  saw  a  pair  of  fiery  red  eyes 
which  he  felt  must  belong  to  the  monster,  the  timber 
wolf,  but  Dick  was  no  longer  under  the  uncanny  spell 
of  the  night  and  the  place;  he  was  rejoicing  too  much 
in  his  new  treasures,  like  a  miser  who  has  just  added 
a  great  sum  to  his  hoard,  to  feel  further  awe  of  the 
wolves,  the  darkness,  and  a  new  battlefield. 

Dick's  second  pack  was  heavier  than  his  first,  but  as 
before,  he  trod  lightly.  He  took  a  different  path  when 
he  left  the  pass,  and  here  in  the  moonlight,  which  was 
now  much  brighter,  he  saw  the  trace  of  wheels  on  the 
earth.  The  trace  ran  off  irregularly  through  the  short 
bushes  and  veered  violently  to  and  fro  like  the  path  of 
a  drunken  man.  Dick  inferred  at  once  that  it  had  been 
made,  not  by  a  wagon  entering  the  pass,  but  by  one  leav 
ing  it,  and  in  great  haste.  No  doubt  the  horses  or  mules 
had  been  running  away  in  fright  at  the  firing. 

Dick's  curiosity  was  excited.  He  wished  to  see  what 
had  become  of  that  wagon.  The  trail  continued  to  lead 
through  the  short  bushes  that  covered  the  plain  just 
before  entering  the  pass,  and  then  turned  off  sharply  to 
the  right,  where  it  led  to  an  abrupt  little  canyon  or 
gully  about  ten  feet  deep.  The  gully  also  was  lined  with 
bushes,  and  at  first  Dick  could  see  nothing  else,  but 

65 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

presently  he  made  out  a  wagon  lying  on  its  side.  No 
horses  or  mules  were  there ;  undoubtedly,  they  had  torn 
themselves  loose  from  the  gear  in  time  to  escape  the  fall. 

Dick  laid  down  his  pack  and  descended  to  the  wagon. 
He  believed  that  in  such  a  place  it  had  escaped  the  plun 
dering  hands  of  the  hasty  Sioux,  and  his  belief  was  cor 
rect.  The  wagon,  a  large  one,  was  loaded  with  all  the 
articles  necessary  for  the  passage  of  the  plains.  Al 
though  much  tossed  about  by  the  fall,  nothing  was  hurt. 

Here  was  a  treasure-trove,  indeed!  Dick's  sudden 
sense  of  wealth  was  so  overpowering  that  he  felt  a  great 
embarrassment.  How  was  he  to  take  care  of  such  riches  ? 
He  longed  at  that  moment  for  the  strength  of  twenty 
men,  that  he  might  take  it  all  at  once  and  go  over  the 
mountain  to  Albert. 

It  was  quite  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  he  was  able 
to  compose  himself  thoroughly.  Then  he  made  a  hasty 
examination  of  the  wagon,  so  far  as  its  position  allowed. 
He  found  in  it  a  rifle  of  the  same  pattern  as  that  used 
by  Albert  and  himself,  a  sixteen-shot  repeater,  the  most 
advanced  weapon  of  the  time,  and  a  great  quantity  of 
cartridges  to  fit.  There  was  also  two  of  the  new  revol 
vers,  with  sufficient  cartridges,  another  ax,  hatchets,  saws, 
hammers,  chisels,  and  a  lot  of  mining  tools.  The  remain 
ing  space  in  the  wagon  was  occupied  by  clothing,  bed 
ding,  provisions,  and  medicines. 

Dick  judged  that  the  wolves  could  not  get  at  the 
wagon  as  it  lay,  and  leaving  it  he  began  his  third  ascent 
of  the  slope.  He  found  Albert  sound  asleep  in  the  pine 
alcove  with  his  rifle  beside  him.  He  looked  so  peaceful 
that  Dick  was  careful  not  to  awaken  him.  He  stnred  the 

66 


TREASURE-TROVE 

second  load  of  treasure  in  the  alcove,  and,  wrapping 
one  of  the  heavy  blankets  around  himself,  slept  heavily. 

He  told  Albert  the  next  day  of  the  wagon  in  the 
gully,  and  nothing  could  keep  him  from  returning  in  the 
morning  for  salvage.  He  worked  there  two  or  three 
days,  carrying  heavy  loads  up  the  mountain,  and  finally, 
when  it  was  all  in  their  den,  he  and  Albert  felt  equipped 
for  anything.  Nor  had  the  buffalo  robe  been  neglected. 
It  was  spread  over  much  of  the  treasure.  Albert,  mean 
while,  had  assumed  the  functions  of  cook,  and  he  dis 
charged  them  with  considerable  ability.  His  strength 
was  quite  sufficient  to  permit  of  his  collecting  firewood, 
and  he  could  fry  bacon  and  make  coffee  and  tea  beauti 
fully.  But  they  were  very  sparing  of  the  coffee  and 
tea,  as  they  also  were  of  the  flour,  although  their  supplies 
of  all  three  of  these  were  greatly  increased  by  the  wagon 
in  the  gully.  In  fact,  the  very  last  thing  that  Dick  had 
brought  over  the  mountain  was  a  hundred-pound  sack 
of  flour,  and  after  accomplishing  this  feat  he  had  rested 
a  long  time. 

Both  boys  felt  that  they  had  been  remarkably  for 
tunate  while  this  work  was  going  on.  One  circumstance, 
apparently  simple  in  itself,  had  been  a  piece  of  great 
luck,  and  that  was  the  absence  of  rain.  It  was  not  a 
particularly  rainy  country,  but  a  shower  could  have 
made  them  thoroughly  miserable,  and,  moreover,  would 
have  been  extremely  dangerous  for  Albert.  But  nights 
and  days  alike  remained  dry  and  cool,  and  as  Albert 
breathed  the  marvelous  balsamic  air  he  could  almost  feel 
himself  transfused  with  its  healing  property. 
while,  the  color  in  his  cheeks  was  steadily  deepening. 

67 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

'•  "We've  certainly  had  good  for  tune, "  said  Dick. 

"  Aided  by  your  courage  and  strength/'  said  Albert, 
"  It  took  a  lot  of  nerve  to  go  down  there  in  that  pass 
and  hunt  for  what  the  Sioux  might  have  left  behind.'* 

Dick  disclaimed  any  superior  merit,  but  he  said  noth 
ing  of  the  many  tremors  that  he  felt  while  performing 
the  great  task. 

An  hour  or  two  later,  Albert,  who  was  hunting 
through  their  belongings,  uttered  a  cry  of  joy  on  finding 
a  little  package  of  fishhooks.  String  they  had  among 
their  stores,  and  it  was  easy  enough  to  cut  a  slim  rod  for 
a  pole. 

"  Now  I  can  be  useful  for  something  besides  cook 
ing/'  he  said.  "  It  doesn't  require  any  great  strength 
to  be  a  fisherman,  and  I'm  much  mistaken  if  I  don't 
soon  have  our  table  supplied  with  trout." 

There  was  a  swift  creek  farther  down  the  slope,  and, 
angling  with  much  patience,  Albert  succeeded  in  catch 
ing  several  mountain  trout  and  a  larger  number  of  fish 
of  an  unknown  species,  but  which,  like  the  trout,  were 
very  good  to  eat. 

Albert's  exploit  caused  him  intense  satisfaction,  and 
Dick  rejoiced  with  him,  not  alone  because  of  the  fish,  but 
also  because  of  his  brother's  triumph. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  LOST   VALLEY 

THEY  spent  a  week  on  the  slope,  sleeping  securely 
and  warmly  under  their  blankets  in  the  pine  al 
cove,  and  fortune  favored  them  throughout  that 
time.  It  did  not  rain  once,  and  there  was  not  a  sign  of 
the  Sioux.  Dick  did  not  revisit  the  pass  after  the  first 
three  days,  and  he  knew  that  the  wolves  and  buzzards 
had  been  busy  there.  But  he  stripped  quite  clean  the 
wagon  which  had  fallen  in  the  gully,  even  carrying 
away  the  canvas  cover,  which  was  rainproof.  Albert 
wondered  that  the  Sioux  had  not  returned,  but  Dhk 
had  a  very  plausible  theory  to  account  for  it. 

"  The  Sioux  are  making  war  upon  our  people/'  he 
said,  "  and  why  should  they  stay  around  here?  They 
have  cut  off  what  is  doubtless  the  first  party  entering 
this  region  in  a  long  time,  and  now  they  have  gone  east 
ward  to  meet  our  troops.  Besides,  the  Sioux  are  mostly 
plains  Indians,  and  they  won't  bother  much  about  these 
mountains.  Other  Indians,  through  fear  of  the  Sioux, 
will  not  come  and  live  here,  which  accounts  fof  this 
region  being  uninhabited. ' ' 

"  Still,  a  wandering  band  of  Sioux  might  come 
through  at  any  time  and  see  TIS,"  said  Albert. 

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THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  That's  so,  and  for  other  reasons,  too,  we  must  move. 
It's  mighty  fine,  Al,  sleeping  out  in  the  open  \7hen  the 
weather's  dry  and  not  too  cold,  but  I've  read  that  the 
winter  in  the  northwestern  mountains  is  something  ter 
rible,  and  we've  got  to  prepare  for  it." 

It  was  Dick's  idea  to  go  deeper  into  the  mountains. 
He  knew  very  well  that  the  chance  of  their  getting  out 
before  spring  was  too  slender  to  be  considered,  and  he 
believed  that  they  could  find  better  shelter  and  a  more 
secure  hiding  place  farther  in.  So  he  resolved  upon  a 
journey  of  exploration,  and  though  Albert  was  now 
stronger,  he  must  go  alone.  It  was  his  brother's  duty  to 
remain  and  guard  their  precious  stores.  Already  bears 
and  mountain  lions,  drawn  by  the  odors  of  the  food,  had 
come  snuffing  about  the  alcove,  but  they  always  retreated 
from  the  presence  of  either  o£  the  brothers.  One  huge 
silver  tip  had  come  rather  alarmingly  close,  but  when 
Dick  shouted  at  him  he,  too,  turned  and  lumbered  off 
among  the  pines. 

"  What  you  want  to  guard  against,  Al,"  said  Dick, 
"  is  thieves  rather  than  robbers.  Look  out  for  the 
sneaks.  "We'll  fill  the  canteen  and  all  our  iron  vessels 
with  water  so  that  you  won't  have  to  go  even  to  the 
brook.  Then  you  stay  right  here  by  the  fire  in  the  day 
time,  and  in  the  den  at  night.  You  can  keep  a  bed  of 
coals  before  the  den  when  you're  asleep,  and  no  wil<? 
animal  will  ever  come  past  it." 

"  All  right,  Dick,"  said  Albert  courageously;  "  but 
don't  you  get  lost  over  there  among  those  ranges  and 
peaks." 

"  I  couldn't  do  it  if  I  tried,"  replied  Dick  in  the 
70 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

same  cheerful  tone.  "  You  don't  know  what  a  woods 
man  and  mountaineer  I've  become,  Al,  old  boy!  n 

Albert  smiled.  Yet  each  boy  felt  the  full  gravity  of 
the  occasion  when  the  time  for  Dick's  departure  came, 
at  dawn  of  a  cool  morning,  gleams  of  silver  frost  show 
ing  here  and  there  on  the  slopes.  Both  knew  the  neces 
sity  of  the  journey,  however,  and  hid  their  feelings. 

"  Be  back  to-morrow  night,  Al/'  said  Dick. 

* '  Be  ready  for  you,  Dick, ' '  said  Albert. 

Then  they  waved  their  hands  to  each  other,  and  Dick 
strode  away  toward  the  higher  mountains.  He  was  well 
armed,  carrying  his  repeating  rifle  and  the  large  hunting 
knife  which  was  useful  for  so  many  purposes.  He  had 
also  thrust  one  of  the  revolvers  into  his  belt. 

Flushed  with  youth  and  strength,  and  equipped  with 
such  good  weapons,  he  felt  able  to  take  care  of  himself 
in  any  company  into  which  he  might  be  thrown. 

He  reached  the  bottom  of  the  slope,  and  looking  back, 
saw  Albert  standing  on  a  fallen  log.  His  brother  was 
watching  him  and  waved  his  hand.  Dick  waved  his  in 
reply,  and  then,  crossing  the  creek,  began  the  ascent  of 
the  farther  slope.  There  the  pines  and  the  distance  ren 
dered  the  brothers  invisible  to  each  other,  and  Dick 
pressed  on  with  vigor.  His  recent  trips  over  the  lower 
slopes  for  supplies  had  greatly  increased  his  skill  in 
mountain  climbing,  and  he  did  not  suffer  from  weari 
ness.  Up,  up,  he  went,  and  the  pines  grew  shorter  and 
scrubbier.  But  the  thin,  crisp  air  was  a  sheer  delight, 
and  he  felt  an  extraordinary  pleasure  in  mere  living. 

Dick  looked  back  once  from  the  heights  toward  the 
spot  where  their  camp  lay  and  saw  lying  against  the 

71 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

blue  a  thin  gray  thread  that  only  the  keenest  eye  would 
notice.  He  knew  it  to  be  the  smoke  from  Albert's  fire 
and  felt  sure  that  all  was  well. 

While  the  slope  which  he  was  ascending  was  fairly 
steep,  it  was  easy  enough  to  find  a  good  trail  among 
the  pines.  There  was  little  undergrowth  and  the  ascent 
was  not  rocky.  "When  Dick  stood  at  last  on  the  crest  of 
the  ridge  he  uttered  a  cry  of  delight  and  amazement. 

The  slope  on  which  he  stood  was  merely  a  sort  of  gate 
to  the  higher  mountains,  or  rather  it  was  a  curtain  hid 
ing  the  view. 

Before  him,  range  on  range  and  peak  on  peak,  lay 
mighty  mountains,  some  of  them  shooting  up  almost 
three  miles  above  the  sea,  their  crests  and  heads  hid  in 
eternal  snow.  Far  away  to  northward  and  westward 
stretched  the  tremendous  maze,  and  it  seemed  to  Dick  to 
have  no  end.  A  cold,  dazzling  sunlight  poured  in  floods 
over  the  snowy  summits,  and  he  felt  a  great  sense  of 
awe.  It  was  all  so  grand,  so  silent,  and  so  near  to  the 
Infinite.  He  saw  the  full  majesty  of  the  world  and  of 
the  Power  that  had  created  it.  For  a  little  while  his 
mission  and  all  human  passions  and  emotions  floated 
away  from  him;  he  was  content  merely  to  stand  there, 
without  thinking,  but  to  feel  the  immensity  and  majesty 
of  it  all. 

Dick  presently  recovered  himself  and  with  a  little 
laugh  came  back  to  earth.  But  he  was  glad  to  have  had 
those  moments.  He  began  the  descent,  which  was 
rougher  and  rockier  than  the  ascent  had  been,  but  the 
prospect  was  encouraging.  The  valley  between  the  ridge 
on  the  slope  of  which  he  stood  and  the  higher  one  beyond 

72 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

it  seemed  narrow,  but  he  believed  that  he  would  find  in 
it  the  shelter  and  hiding  that  he  and  Albert  wished. 

As  he  went  down  the  slope  became  steeper,  but  once 
more  the  pines,  sheltered  from  the  snows  and  cruel 
winds,  grew  to  a  great  size.  There  was  also  so  much 
outcropping  of  rock  that  Dick  was  hopeful  of  finding 
another  alcove  deep  enough  to  be  converted  into  a  house. 

When  nearly  down,  he  caught  a  gleam  among  the 
trees  that  he  knew  was  water,  and  again  he  was  encour 
aged.  Here  was  a  certainty  of  one  thing  that  was  an 
absolute  necessity.  Soon  he  was  in  the  valley,  which  he 
found  exceedingly  narrow  and  almost  choked  with  a 
growth  of  pine,  ash,  and  aspen,  a  tiny  brook  flowing 
down  its  center.  He  was  tired  and  warm  from  the  long 
descent  and  knelt  down  and  drank  from  the  brook.  Its 
waters  were  as  cold  as  ice,  flowing  down  from  the  crest 
of  one  of  the  great  peaks  clad,  winter  and  summer,  in 
snow. 

Dick  followed  the  brook  for  fully  a  mile,  seeking 
everywhere  a  suitable  place  in  which  he  and  his  brother 
might  make  a  home,  but  he  found  none.  The  valley  re 
sembled  in  most  of  its  aspects  a  great  canyon,  and  all 
the  fertile  earth  on  either  side  of  the  brook  was  set 
closely  with  pine,  ash,  and  aspen.  These  would  form 
a  shelter  from  winds,  but  they  would  not  protect  from 
rain  and  the  great  colds  and  snows  of  the  high  Rockies. 

Dick  noticed  many  footprints  of  animals  at  the  mar 
gin  of  the  stream,  some  of  great  size,  which  he  had  no 
doubt  were  made  by  grizzlies  or  silver  tips.  He  also 
believed  that  the  beaver  might  be  found  farther  down 
along  this  cold  and  secluded  water,  but  he  was  not  in- 

73 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

terested  greatly  just  then  in  animals;  he  was  seeking 
for  that  most  necessary  of  all  things — something  that 
must  be  had — a  home. 

It  seemed  to  him  at  the  end  of  his  estimated  mile 
that  the  brook  was  going  to  flow  directly  into  the  moun 
tain  which  rose  before  him  many  hundreds  of  feet;  but 
when  he  came  to  the  rocky  wall  he  found  that  the  valley 
turned  off  at  a  sharp  angle  to  the  left,  and  the  stream, 
of  course,  followed  it,  although  it  now  descended  more 
rapidly,  breaking  three  times  into  little  foamy  falls  five 
or  six  feet  in  height.  Then  another  brook  came  from 
a  deep  cleft  between  the  mountains  on  the  eastern  side 
and  swelled  with  its  volume  the  main  stream,  which  now 
became  a  creek. 

The  new  valley  widened  out  to  a  width  of  perhaps  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  although  the  rocky  walls  on  either 
side  rose  to  a  great  height  and  were  almost  precipitous. 
Springs  flowed  from  these  walls  and  joined  the  creek. 
Some  of  them  came  down  the  face  of  the  cliffs  in  little 
cascades  of  foam  and  vapor,  but  others  spouted  from  the 
base  of  the  rock.  Dick  knelt  down  to  drink  from  one 
of  the  latter,  but  as  his  face  approached  the  water  he 
jumped  away.  He  dipped  up  a  little  of  it  in  his  soft 
hat  and  tasted  it.  It  was  brackish  and  almost  boiling 
hot. 

Dick  was  rather  pleased  at  the  discovery.  A  bitter 
and  hot  spring  might  be  very  useful.  He  had  imbibed 
— like  many  others— from  the  teaching  of  his  childhood 
that  any  bitter  liquid  was  good  for  you.  As  he  advanced 
farther  the  valley  continued  to  spread  out  It  was  now 
perhaps  a  half  mile  in  width,  and  well  \vt>oded.  The 

74 


THE    LOST    VALLEY 

creek  became  less  turbulent,  flowing  with  a  depth  of 
several  feet  in  a  narrow  channel. 

The  whole  aspect  of  the  valley  so  far  had  been  that 
of  a  wilderness  uninhabited  and  unvisited.  A  mule  deer 
looked  curiously  at  Dick,  then  walked  away  a  few  paces 
and  stood  there.  When  Dick  glanced  back  his  deership 
was  still  curious  and  gazing.  A  bear  crashed  through  a 
thicket,  stared  at  the  boy  with  red  eyes,  then  rolled  lan 
guidly  away.  Dick  was  quick  to  interpret  these  signs. 
They  were  unfamiliar  with  human  presence,  and  he  was 
cheered  by  the  evidence.  Yet  at  the  end  of  another  hun 
dred  yards  of  progress  he  sank  down  suddenly  among 
some  bushes  and  remained  perfectly  silent,  but  intently 
watchful. 

He  had  seen  a  column  of  smoke  rising  above  the  pines 
and  aspens.  Smoke  meant  fire,  fire  meant  human  beings, 
and  human  beings,  in  that  region,  meant  enemies.  He 
had  no  doubt  that  Sioux  were  at  the  foot  of  that  column 
of  smoke.  It  was  a  tragic  discovery.  He  was  looking 
for  a  home  for  Albert  and  himself  somewhere  in  this 
valley,  but  there  could  be  no  home  anywhere  near  the 
Sioux.  He  and  his  brother  must  turn  in  another  direc 
tion,  and  with  painful  effort  lug  their  stores  over  the 
ridges. 

But  Dick  was  resolved  to  see.  There  were  great 
springs  of  courage  and  tenacity  in  his  nature,  and  he 
wished,  moreover,  to  prove  his  new  craft  as  a  woodsman 
and  mountaineer.  He  remained  awhile  in  the  bushes, 
watching  the  spire,  and  presently,  to  his  amazement,  it 
thinned  quickly  and  then  was  gone.  It  had  disappeared 
swiftly,  while  the  smoke  from  a  fire  usually  dies  down. 

75 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

It  was  Dick's  surmise  that  the  Sioux  had  put  out  their 
fire  by  artificial  means  and  then  had  moved  on.  Such 
an  act  would  indicate  a  fear  of  observation,  and  his 
curiosity  increased  greatly. 

But  Dick  did  not  forget  his  caution.  He  crouched 
in  the  bushes  for  quite  a  while  yet,  watching  the  place 
inhere  the  smoke  had  been,  but  the  sky  remained  clear 
and  undefiled.  He  heard  nothing  and  saw  nothing  but 
the  lonely  valley.  At  last  he  crept  forward  slowly,  and 
with  the  greatest  care,  keeping  among  the  bushes  and 
treading  very  softly.  He  advanced  in  this  manner  three 
or  four  hundred  yards,  to  the  very  point  which  must 
have  been  the  base  of  the  spire  of  smoke — he  had  marked 
it  so  well  that  he  could  not  be  mistaken — and  from  his 
leafy  covert  saw  a  large  open  space  entirely  destitute  of 
vegetation.  He  expected  to  see  there  also  the  remains  of 
a  camp  fire,  but  none  was  visible,  not  a  single  charred 
stick,  nor  a  coal. 

Dick  was  astonished.  A  new  and  smoking  camp  fire 
must  leave  some  trace.  One  could  not  wipe  it  away 
Absolutely.  He  remained  a  comparatively  long  time, 
watching  in  the  edge  of  the  bushes  beside  the  wide  and 
open  space. 

He  still  saw  and  heard  nothing.  Never  before  had  a 
camp  fire  vanished  so  mysteriously  and  completely,  and 
#ith  it  those  who  had  built  it.  At  last,  his  curiosity 
overcoming  his  caution,  he  advanced  into  the  open  space, 
and  now  saw  that  it  fell  away  toward  the  center.  Ad 
vancing  more  boldly,  he  found  himself  near  the  edge  of 
a  deep  pit. 

The  pit  was  almost  perfectly  round  and  had  a  diam- 
76 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

eter  of  about  ten  feet.  So  far  as  Dick  could  judge,  it 
was  about  forty  feet  deep  and  entirely  empty.  It  looked 
like  a  huge  well  dug  by  the  hand  of  man. 

While  Dick  was  gazing  at  the  pit,  an  extraordinary 
and  terrifying  thing  happened.  The  earth  under  his  feet 
began  to  shake.  At  first  he  could  not  believe  it,  but 
when  he  steadied  himself  and  watched  closely,  the  oscil 
lating  motion  was  undoubtedly  there.  It  was  accom 
panied,  too,  by  a  rumble,  dull  and  low,  but  which  stead 
ily  grew  louder.  It  seemed  to  Dick  that  the  round  pit 
was  the  center  of  this  sound. 

Despite  the  quaking  of  the  earth,  he  ventured  again 
into  the  open  space  and  saw  that  the  pit  had  filled  with 
water.  Moreover,  this  water  was  boiling,  as  he  could 
see  it  seething  and  bubbling.  As  he  looked,  clouds  of 
steam  shot  up  to  a  height  of  two  or  three  hundred  feet, 
and  Dick,  in  alarm,  ran  back  to  the  bushes.  He  knew 
that  this  was  the  column  of  vapor  he  had  first  seen  from 
a  distance,  but  he  was  not  prepared  for  what  followed. 

There  was  an  explosion  so  loud  that  it  made  Dick 
jump.  Then  a  great  column  of  water  shot  up  from  the 
boiling  pit  to  a  height  of  perhaps  fifty  feet,  and  re 
mained  there  rising  and  falling.  From  the  apex  of  this 
column  several  great  jets  rose,  perhaps,  three  times  as 
high. 

The  column  of  hot  water  glittered  and  shimmered  in 
the  sun,  and  Dick  gazed  in  wonder  and  delight.  He  had 
read  enough  to  recognize  the  phenomenon  that  he  now 
saw.  It  was  a  geyser,  a  column  of  hot  water  shooting  up, 
at  regular  intervals  and  with  great  force,  from  the  un 
known  deeps  of  the  earth. 

77 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

As  he  gazed,  the  column  gradually  sank,  the  boiling 
water  in  the  pit  sank,  too,  and  there  was  no  longer  any 
rumble  or  quaking  of  the  earth.  Dick  cautiously  ap 
proached  the  pit  again.  It  was  as  empty  as  a  dry  well, 
but  he  knew  that  in  due  time  the  phenomenon  would  be 
repeated.  He  was  vastly  interested,  but  he  did  not  wait 
to  see  the  recurrence  of  the  marvel,  continuing  his  way 
-down  the  valley  over  heaps  of  crinkly  black  slag  and 
stone,  which  were  age-old  lava,  although  he  did  not  know 
it,  and  through  groves  of  pine  and  ash,  aspen,  and  cedar. 
He  saw  other  round  pits  and  watched  a  second 
geyser  in  eruption.  He  saw,  too,  numerous  hot  springs, 
and  much  steamy  vapor  floating  about.  There  were  also 
mineral  springs  and  springs  of  the  clearest  and  purest 
cold  water.  It  seemed  to  Dick  that  every  minute  of  his 
wanderings  revealed  to  him  some  new  and  interesting 
sight,  while  on  all  sides  of  the  little  valley  rose  the 
mighty  mountains,  their  summits  in  eternal  snow. 

A  great  relief  was  mingled  with  the  intense  interest 
that  Dick  felt.  He  had  been  sure  at  first  that  he  saw  the 
camp  fires  of  the  Sioux,  but  after  the  revulsion  it  seemed 
as  if  it  were  a  place  never  visited  by  man,  either  savage 
or  civilized.  As  he  continued  down  the  valley,  he  noticed 
narrow  clefts  in  the  mountains  opening  into  them  from 
either  side,  but  he  felt  sure  from  the  nature  of  the  coun 
try  that  they  could  not  go  back  far.  The  clefts  were 
four  in  number,  and  down  two  of  them  came  consider 
able  streams  of  clear,  cold  water  emptying  into  the  main 
creek. 

The  valley  now  narrowed  again  and  Dick  heard  ahead 
a  slight  humming  sound  which  presently  grew  into  a 

78 


THE    LOST    VALLEY 

roar.  He  was  puzzled  at  first,  but  soon  divined  the  cause. 
The  creek,  or  rather  little  river,  much  increased  in  vol 
ume  by  the  tributary  brooks,  made  a  great  increase  of 
speed  in  its  current.  Dick  saw  before  him  a  rising  col 
umn  of  vapor  and  foam,  and  in  another  minute  or  two 
stood  beside  a  fine  fall,  where  the  little  river  took  a 
sheer  drop  of  forty  feet,  then  rushed  foaming  and  boil 
ing  through  a  narrow  chasm,  to  empty  about  a  mile  far 
ther  on  into  a  beautiful  blue  lake. 

Dick,  standing  on  a  high  rock  beside  the  fall,  could 
see  the  lake  easily.  Its  blue  was  of  a  deep,  splendid  tint, 
and  on  every  side  pines  and  cedars  thickly  clothed  the 
narrow  belt  of  ground  between  it  and  the  mountains. 
The  far  end  seemed  to  back  up  abruptly  against  a 
mighty  range  crowned  with  snow,  but  Dick  felt  sure  that 
an  outlet  must  be  there  through  some  cleft  in  the  range. 
The  lake  itself  was  of  an  almost  perfect  crescent  shape, 
and  Dick  reckoned  its  length  at  seven  miles,  with  a  great 
est  breadth,  that  is,  at  the  center,  of  about  two  miles. 
He  judged,  too,  from  its  color  and  its  position  in  a 
fissure  that  its  depth  must  be  very  great. 

The  surface  of  the  lake  lay  two  or  three  hundred  feet 
lower  than  the  rock  on  which  Dick  was  standing,  and  he 
could  see  its  entire  expanse,  rippling  gently  under  the 
wind  and  telling  only  of  peace  and  rest.  Flocks  of  wild 
fowl  flew  here  and  there,  showing  white  or  black  against 
the  blue  of  its  waters,  and  at  the  nearer  shore  Dick 
thought  he  saw  an  animal  like  a  deer  drinking,  but  the 
distance  was  too  great  to  tell  certainly. 

He  left  the  rock  and  pursued  his  way  through  dwarf 
pines  and  cedars  along  the  edge  of  the  chasm  in  which 

79 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  torrent  boiled  and  foamed,  intending  to  go  down  to 
the  lake.  Halfway  he  stopped,  startled  by  a  long,  shrill, 
whistling  sound  that  bore  some  resemblance  to  the  shriek 
of  a  distant  locomotive.  The  wilderness  had  been  so 
silent  before  that  the  sound  seemed  to  fill  all  the  valley, 
-the  ridges  taking  it  up  and  giving  it  back  in  one  echo 
after  another  until  it  died  away  among  the  peaks.  In  a 
minute  or  so  the  whistling  shriek  was  repeated  and  then 
two  or  three  times  more. 

Dick  was  not  apprehensive.  It  was  merely  a  new 
wonder  in  that  valley  of  wonders,  and  none  of  these 
wonders  seemed  to  have  anything  to  do  with  man.  The 
sound  apparently  came  from  a  point  two  or  three  hun 
dred  yards  to  his  left  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and 
turning,  Dick  went  toward  it,  walking  very  slowly  and 
carefully  through  the  undergrowth.  He  had  gone  al 
most  the  whole  distance  seeing  nothing  but  the  moun 
tain  and  the  forest,  when  the  whistling  shriek  was  sud 
denly  repeated  so  close  to  him  that  he  jumped.  He 
sank  down  behind  a  dwarf  pine,  and  then  he  saw  not 
thirty  feet  away  the  cause  of  the  sound. 

A  gigantic  deer,  a  great  grayish  animal,  stood  in  a 
little  op'en  space,  and  at  intervals  emitted  that  tremen 
dous  whistle.  It  stood  as  high  as  a  horse,  and  Dick  esti 
mated  its  weight  at  more  than  a  thousand  pounds.  He 
was  looking  at  a  magnificent  specimen  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  elk,  by  far  the  largest  member  of  the  deer 
tribe  that  he  had  ever  seen.  The  animal,  the  wind  blow 
ing  from  him  toward  Dick,  was  entirely  unsuspicious  of 
danger,  and  the  boy  could  easily  have  put  a  bullet  into 
his  heart,  but  he  had  no  desire  to  do  so.  Whether  the 

80 


THE    LOST    VALLEY 

elk  was  whistling  to  his  mate  or  sending  a  challenge  to 
a  rival  bull  he  did  not  know,  and  after  watching  and 
admiring  him  for  a  little  while  he  crept  away. 

But  Dick  was  not  wholly  swayed  by  sentiment.  He 
said  to  himself  as  he  went  away  among  the  pines: 
* '  Don 't  you  feel  too  safe,  Mr.  Elk,  we  '11  have  to  take  you 
or  some  of  your  brethren  later  on.  I've  heard  that  elk 
meat  is  good." 

He  resumed  his  journey  and  was  soon  at  the  edge  of 
the  lake,  which  at  this  point  had  a  narrow  sandy  mar 
gin.  Its  waters  wei-e  fresh  and  cold,  and  wold  duck, 
fearless  of  Dick,  swam  within  a  few  yards  of  him.  The 
view  here  was  not  less  majestic  and  beautiful  than  it  had 
been  from  the  rock,  and  Dick,  sensitive  to  nature,  was 
steeped  in  all  its  wonder  and  charm.  He  was  glad  to  be 
there,  he  was  glad  that  chance  or  Providence  had  led 
him  to  this  lovely  valley.  He  felt  no  loneliness,  no  fear 
for  the  future,  he  was  content  merely  to  breathe  and  feel 
the  glory  of  it  permeate  his  being. 

He  picked  up  a  pebble  presently  and  threw  it  into 
the  lake.  It  sank  with  the  sullen  plunk  that  told  unmis 
takably  to  the  boy's  ears  of  great  depths  below.  Once 
or  twice  he  saw  a  fish  leap  up,  and  it  occurred  to  him 
that  here  was  another  food  supply. 

He  suddenly  pulled  himself  together  with  a  jerk. 
He  could  not  sit  there  all  day  dreaming.  He  had  come 
to  find  a  winter  home  for  Albert  and  himself,  and  he 
had  not  yet  found  it.  But  he  had  a  plan  from  which 
he  had  been  turned  aside  for  a  while  by  the  sight  of  the 
lake,  and  now  he  went  back  to  carry  it  out. 

There  were  two  clefts  opening  into  the  mountains 
81 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

from  his  side  of  the  river,  and  he  went  into  the  first  on 
the  return  path.  It  was  choked  with  pine  and  cedars 
and  quickly  ended  against  a  mountain  wall,  proving  to 
be  nothing  but  a  very  short  canyon.  There  was  much 
outcropping  of  rock  here,  but  nothing  that  would  help 
toward  a  shelter,  and  Dick  went  on  to  the  second  cleft. 

This  cleft,  wider  than  the  other,  was  the  one  down 
which  the  considerable  brook  flowed,  and  the  few  yards 
or  so  of  fertile  ground  on  either  side  of  the  stream  pro 
duced  a  rank  growth  of  trees.  They  were  so  thick  that 
the  boy  could  see  only  a  little  distance  ahead,  but  he 
believed  that  this  slip  of  a  tributary  valley  ran  far  back 
in  the  mountains,  perhaps  a  dozen  miles. 

He  picked  his  way  about  a  mile  and  then  came  sud 
denly  upon  a  house.  It  stood  in  an  alcove  protected  by 
rocks  and  trees,  but  safe  from  snow  slide.  It  was  only 
a  log  hut  of  one  room,  with  the  roof  broken  in  and  the 
door  fallen  from  its  hinges,  but  Dick  knew  well  enough 
the  handiwork  of  the  white  man.  As  he  approached, 
some  wild  animal  darted  out  of  the  open  door  and 
crashed  away  among  the  undergrowth,  but  Dick  knew 
that  white  men  had  once  lived  there.  It  was  equally  evi 
dent  that  they  had  long  been  gone. 

It  was  a  cabin  of  stout  build,  its  thick  logs  fitted 
nicely  together,  and  the  boards  of  the  roof  had  been 
strong  and  well  laid.  Many  years  must  have  passed  to 
have  caused  so  much  decay.  Dick  entered  and  was  sa 
luted  by  a  strong,  catlike  odor.  Doubtless  a  mountain 
lion  had  been  sleeping  there,  and  this  was  the  tenant 
that  he  had  heard  crashing  away  among  the  under 
growth.  On  one  side  was  a  window  closed  by  a  sagging 

82 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

oaken  shutter,  which.  Dick  threw  open.  The  open  door 
and  window  established  a  draught,  and  as  the  dean, 
sweet  air  blew  through  the  cabin  the  odor  of  the  cat  be 
gan  to  disappear. 

Dick  examined  everything  with  the  greatest  interest 
and  curiosity.  There  was  a  floor  of  puncheons  fairly 
smooth,  a  stone  fireplace,  a  chimney  of  mud  and  sticks, 
dusty  wooden  hooks,  and  rests  nailed  into  the  wall,  a 
rude  table  overturned  in  a  corner,  and  something  that 
looked  like  a  trap.  It  was  the  last  that  told  the  tale 
to  Dick.  "When  he  examined  it  more  critically,  he  had 
no  doubt  that  it  was  a  beaver  trap. 

Nor  did  he  have  any  doubt  but  that  this  hut  had 
been  built  by  beaver  trappers  long  ago,  either  by  inde 
pendent  hunters,  or  by  those  belonging  to  one  of  the 
great  fur  companies.  The  beaver,  he  believed,  had  been 
found  on  this  very  brook,  and  when  they  were  all  taken 
the  trappers  had  gone  away,  leaving  the  cabin  forever, 
as  they  had  left  many  another  one.  It  might  be  at  least 
forty  years  old. 

Dick  laughed  aloud  in  his  pleasure  at  this  good  luck. 
The  cabin  was  dusty,  dirty,  disreputable,  and  odorous, 
but  that  draught  would  take  away  all  the  odors  and  his 
stout  arm  could  soon  repair  the  holes  in  the  roof,  put  the 
door  back  on  its  hinges,  and  straighten  the  sagging  win 
dow  shutter.  Here  was  their  home,  a  house  built  by 
white  men  as  a  home,  and  now  about  to  be  used  as  such 
again.  Dick  did  not  feel  like  a  tenant  moving  in,  but 
like  an  owner.  It  would  be  a  long,  hard  task  to  bring 
their  supplies  over  the  range,  but  Albert  and  he  had  all 
the  time  in  the  world.  It  was  one  of  the  effects  of  their 

83 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

isolation  to  make  Dick  feel  that  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  time. 

He  took  another  survey  of  the  cabin.  It  was  really 
a  splendid  place,  a  palace  in  its  contrast  with  the 
surrounding  wilderness,  and  he  laughed  with  pure  de 
light.  When  it  was  swept  and  cleaned,  and  a  fire  was 
blazing  on  the  flat  stone  that  served  for  a  hearth,  while 
the  cold  winds  roared  without,  it  would  be  the  snuggest 
home  west  of  the  Missouri.  He  was  so  pleased  that  he 
undertook  at  once  some  primary  steps  in  the  process  of 
purification.  He  cut  a  number  of  small,  straight  boughs, 
tied  them  together  with  a  piece  of  bark,  the  leaves  at  the 
head  thus  forming  a  kind  of  broom,  and  went  to  work. 

He  raised  a  great  dust,  which  the  draught  blew  into 
his  eyes,  ears,  and  nose,  and  he  retreated  from  the  place, 
willing  to  let  the  wind  take  it  away.  He  would  finish  the 
task  some  other  day.  Then  the  clear  waters  of  the  brook 
tempted  him.  Just  above  the  cabin  was  a  deep  pool 
which  may  have  been  the  home  of  the  beaver  in  an 
older  time.  Now  it  was  undisturbed,  and  the  waters 
were  so  pure  that  he  could  see  the  sand  and  rock  on 
the  bottom. 

Still  tingling  from  the  dust,  he  took  off  his  clothes 
and  dived  head  foremost  into  the  pool.  He  came  up 
shivering  and  sputtering.  It  was  certainly  the  coldest 
water  into  which  he  had  ever  leaped !  After  such  a  dash 
oae  might  lie  on  a  slab  of  ice  to  warm.  Dick  forgot  that 
every  drop  in  the  brook  had  come  from  melting  snows 
far  up  on  the  peaks,  but,  once  in,  he  resolved  to  fight 
the  element.  He  dived  again,  jumped  up  and  down,  and 
kicked  and  thrashed  those  waters  as  no  beaver  had  ever 

84 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

done.  Gradually  he  grew  warm,  and  a  wonderful  exhil 
aration  shot  through  every  vein.  Then  he  swam  around 
and  around  and  across  and  across  the  pool,  disporting 
like  a  young  white  water  god. 

Dick  was  thoroughly  enjoying  himself,  but  when  he 
began  to  feel  cold  again  in  seven  or  eight  minutes  he 
sprang  out,  ran  up  and  down  the  bank,  and  rubbed  him 
self  with  bunches  of  leaves  until  he  was  dry.  After  he 
had  dressed,  he  felt  that  he  had  actually  grown  in  size 
and  strength  in  the  last  half  hour. 

He  was  now  ravenously  hungry.  His  absorption  in 
his  explorations  and  discoveries  had  kept  him  from 
thinking  of  such  a  thing  as  food  until  this  moment,  but 
when  Nature  finally  got  in  her  claim  she  made  it  strong 
and  urgent.  He  had  brought  cold  supplies  with  him, 
upon  which  he  feasted,  sitting  in  the  doorway  of  the 
cabin.  Then  he  noticed  the  lateness  of  the  hour.  Shad 
ows  were  falling  across  the  snow  on  the  western  peaks 
and  ridges.  The  golden  light  of  the  sun  was  turning 
red,  and  in  the  valley  the  air  was  growing  misty  witn 
the  coming  twilight. 

He  resolved  to  pass  the  night  in  the  cabin.  He  se 
cured  the  window  shutter  again,  tied  up  the  fallen  door 
on  rude  bark  hinges,  and  fastened  it  on  the  inside  with 
a  stick— hasps  for  the  bar  were  there  yet— but  before 
retiring  he  took  a  long  look  in  the  direction  in  which 
Albert  and  their  camp  lay. 

A  great  range  of  mountains  lay  between,  but  Dick 
felt  that  he  could  almost  see  his  brother,  his  camp  fire, 
and  the  pine  alcove.  He  was  Albert 's  protector,  and  thi« 
would  be  the  first  entire  night  in  the  mountains  in  which 

85 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  weaker  boy  had  been  left  alone,  but  Dick  was  not 
apprehensive  about  him.  He  believed  that  their  good 
fortune  would  still  endure,  and  secure  in  that  belief  he 
rolled  himself  up  in  the  blanket  which  he  had  brought 
in  a  little  pack  on  his  back,  and  laid  himself  down  in 
the  corner  of  the  cabin. 

The  place  was  not  yet  free  from  dust  and  odor,  but 
Dick's  hardy  life  was  teaching  him  to  take  as  trifles 
things  that  civilization  usually  regarded  as  onerous,  and 
he  felt  quite  comfortable  where  he  lay.  He  knew  that  it 
was  growing  cold  in  the  gorge,  and  the  shelter  of  the 
cabin  was  acceptable.  He  saw  a  little  strip  of  wan  twi 
light  through  a  crack  in  the  window,  but  it  soon  faded 
and  pitchy  darkness  filled  the  narrow  valley. 

Dick  fell  into  a  sound  sleep,  from  which  he  awoke 
only  once  in  the  night,  and  then  it  was  a  noise  of  some 
thing  as  of  claws  scratching  at  the  door  that  stirred 
him.  The  scratch  was  repeated  only  once  or  twice,  and 
with  it  came  the  sound  of  heavy,  gasping  puffs,  like  a 
big  animal  breathing.  Then  the  creature  went  away, 
and  Dick,  half  asleep,  murmured :  ' -  I've  put  you  out 
of  your  house,  my  fine  friend,  bear  or  panther,  which 
ever  you  may  be."  In  another  minute  he  was  wholly 
asleep  again  and  did  not  waken  until  an  edge  of  glit 
tering  sunlight,  like  a  sword  blade,  came  through  the 
crack  in  the  window  and  struck  him  across  the  eyes. 

He  bathed  a  second  time  in  the  pool,  ate  what  was 
left  of  the  food,  and  started  on  the  return  journey,  mov 
ing  at  a  brisk  pace.  He  made  many  calculations  on  the 
way.  It  would  take  a  week  to  move  all  their  goods  over 
the  range  to  the  cabin,  but,  once  there,  he  believed  that 

86 


THE    LOST   VALLEY 

they  would  be  safe  for  a  long  time ;  indeed,  they  might 
spend  years  in  the  valley,  if  they  wished,  and  never  see 
a  stranger. 

It  was  afternoon  when  he  approached  the  pine  alcove, 
but  the  familiar  spire  of  smoke  against  the  blue  had  as 
sured  him  already  that  Albert  was  there  and  safe.  In 
fact,  Albert  saw  him  first.  He  had  just  returned  from 
the  creek,  and,  standing  on  a  rock,  a  fish  in  his  hand, 
hailed  his  brother,  who  was  coming  up  the  slope. 

"  Halloo,  Dick!  "  he  shouted.  "  Decided  to  come 
home,  have  you?  Hope  you've  had  a  pleasant  visit. " 

11  Fine  trip,  Al,  old  man,"  Dick  replied.  "  Great 
place  over  there.  Think  we'd  better  move  to  it." 

' '  That  so  ?    TeU  us  about  it. ' ' 

Dick,  ever  sensitive  to  Albert's  manner  and  appear 
ance,  noticed  that  the  boy's  voice  was  fuller,  and  he 
believed  that  the  dry,  piny  air  of  the  mountains  was 
still  at  its  healing  work.  He  joined  Albert,  who  was 
waiting  for  him,  and  who,  after  giving  his  hand  a  hearty 
grasp,  told  him  what  he  had  found. 


CHAPTER   VI 

CASTLE   HOWARD) 

ALBERT  agreed  with  Dick  that  they  should  begin 
to  move  at  once,  and  his  imagination  was  greatly 
stirred  by  Dick's  narrative.  "  Why,  it's  an  en 
chanted  valley !  ' '  he  exclaimed.  ' '  And  a  house  is  there 
waiting  for  us,  too !  Dick,  I  want  to  see  it  right  away !  ' ' 

Dick  smiled. 

"  Sorry,  but  you'll  have  to  wait  a  little,  Al,  old 
man, ' '  he  said.  1 1  You  're  not  strong  enough  yet  to  carry 
stores  over  the  big  range,  though  you  will  be  very  soon, 
and  we  can't  leave  our  precious  things  here  unguarded. 
So  you'll  have  to  stay  and  act  as  quartermaster  while  I 
make  myself  pack  mule.  "When  we  have  all  the  things 
over  there,  we  can  fasten  them  up  in  our  house,  where 
bears,  panthers,  and  wolves  can 't  get  at  them. ' ' 

Albert  made  a  wry  face,  but  he  knew  that  he  must 
yield  to  necessity.  Dick  began  the  task  the  next  morn 
ing,  and  it  was  long,  tedious,  and  most  wearing.  More 
than  once  he  felt  like  abandoning  some  of  their  goods, 
but  he  hardened  his  resolution  with  the  reflection  that 
all  were  precious,  and  not  a  single  thing  was  abandoned. 

It  was  more  than  a  week  before  it  was  all  done,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  last  trip  that  Albert  went  with  him, 

88 


CASTLE    HOWARD 

carrying  besides  his  gun  a  small  pack.  The  weather  was 
still  propitious.  Once  there  had  been  a  light  shower  in 
the  night,  but  Albert  was  protected  from  it  by  the  tar 
paulin  which  they  had  made  of  the  wagon  cover,  and 
nothing  occurred  to  check  his  progress.  He  ate  with, 
an  appetite  that  he  had  never  known  before,  and  he 
breathed  by  night  as  well  as  by  day  the  crisp  air  of  the 
mountains  tingling  with  the  balsam  of  the  pines.  It  oc 
curred  to  Dick  that  to  be  marooned  in  these  mountains 
was  perhaps  the  best  of  all  things  that  could  have  hap 
pened  to  Albert. 

They  went  slowly  over  the  range  toward  the  en 
chanted  valley,  stopping  now  and  then  because  Albert, 
despite  his  improvement,  was  not  yet  equal  to  the  task  of 
strenuous  climbing,  but  all  things  continued  auspicious. 
There  was  a  touch  of  autumn  on  the  foliage,  and  shades 
of  red  and  yellow  were  appearing  on  the  leaves  of  all 
the  trees  except  the  evergreens,  but  everything  told  of 
vigorous  life.  As  they  passed  the  crest  of  the  range  and 
began  the  descent  of  the  slope  toward  the  enchanted  val 
ley,  a  mule  deer  crashed  from  the  covert  and  fled  away 
with  great  bounds.  Flocks  of  birds  rose  with  whirrings 
from  the  bushes.  From  some  point  far  away  came  the 
long,  whistling  sound  that  made  Albert  cry  out  in  won 
der.  But  Dick  laughed. 

"It's  the  elk,"  he  said.  "  I  saw  one  when  I  first 
came  into  the  valley.  I  think  they  are  thick  hereabout, 
and  I  suspect  that  they  will  furnish  us  with  some  good 
winter  food." 

Albert  found  the  valley  all  that  Dick  had  represented 
it  to  be,  and  more.  He  watched  the  regular  eruptions 

89 


THE   LAST   OF   THE    CHIEFS 

of  the  geysers  with  amazement  and  delight;  he  insisted 
on  sampling  the  mineral  springs,  and  intended  to  learn 
in  time  their  various  properties.  The  lake,  in  all  its 
shimmering  aspects,  appealed  to  his  love  of  the  grand 
and  beautiful,  and  he  promptly  named  it ' '  The  Howard 
Sea, "  ' 1  after  its  discoverer,  you  know, ' '  he  said  to  Dick. 
Finally,  the  cabin  itself  filled  him  with  delight,  because 
he  foresaw  even  more  thoroughly  than  Dick  how  suitable 
it  would  be  for  a  home  in  the  long  winter  months.  He 
installed  himself  as  housekeeper  and  set  to  work  at  once. 

The  little  cabin  was  almost  choked  with  their  sup 
plies,  which  Dick  had  been  afraid  to  leave  outside  for 
fear  that  the  provisions  would  be  eaten  and  the  other 
things  injured  by  the  wild  animals,  and  now  they  began 
the  task  of  assorting  and  putting  them  into  place. 

The  full  equipment  of  the  wagon  that  Dick  had  found 
in  the  gully,  particularly  the  tools,  proved  to  be  a  god 
send.  They  made  more  racks  on  the  walls— boring  holes 
with  the  augers  and  then  driving  in  pegs— on  which  they 
laid  their  axes  and  extra  rifles.  In  the  same  manner 
they  made  high  shelves,  on  which  their  food  would  be 
safe  from  prowling  wild  beasts,  even  should  they  suc 
ceed  in  breaking  in  the  door.  But  Dick  soon  made  the 
latter  impossible  by  putting  the  door  on  strong  hinges 
of  leather  which  he  made  from  the  gear  that  he  had  cut 
from  the  horses.  He  also  split  a  new  bar  from  one  of 
the  young  ash  trees  and  strengthened  the  hasps  on  the 
inside.  He  felt  now  that  when  the  bar  was  in  place  not 
even  the  heaviest  grizzly  could  force  the  door. 

The  task  of  mending  the  roof  was  more  difficult.  He 
knew  how  to  split  rude  boards  with  his  ax,  but  he  had 

90 


CASTLE    HOWARD 

only  a  few  nails  with  which  to  hold  them  in  place.  He 
solved  the  problem  by  boring  auger  holes,  into  which 
he  drove  pegs  made  from  strong  twigs.  The  roof  looked 
water-tight,  and  he  intended  to  reenforce  it  later  on  with 
the  skins  of  wild  animals  that  he  expected  to  kill — 
there  had  been  no  time  yet  for  hunting. 

Throughout  these  operations,  which  took  about  a 
week,  they  slept  in  the  open  in  a  rude  tent  which  they 
made  of  the  wagon  cover  and  set  beside  the  cabin,  for 
two  reasons:  because  Dick  believed  the  open  air  at  all 
times  to  be  good  for  Albert,  and  because  he  was  averse 
to  using  the  cabin  as  a  dormitory  until  it  was  thoroughly 
cleansed  and  aired. 

Albert  made  himself  extremely  useful  in  the  task  of 
refurbishing  the  cabin.  He  brushed  out  all  the  dust, 
brought  water  from  the  brook  and  scrubbed  the  floor, 
and  to  dry  the  latter  built  their  first  fire  on  the  hearth 
with  pine  cones  and  other  fallen  wood.  As  he  touched 
the  match  to  it,  he  did  not  conceal  his  anxiety. 

"  The  big  thing  to  us,"  he  said,  "  is  whether  or  not 
this  chimney  will  draw.  That's  vital,  I  tell  you,  Dick, 
to  a  housekeeper.  If  it  puffs  out  smoke  and  fills  the 
cabin  with  it,  we  're  to  have  a  hard  time  and  be  miserable. 
If  it  draws  like  a  porous  plaster  and  takes  all  the  smoke 
up  it,  then  we're  to  have  an  easy  time  of  it  and  be 
happy." 

Both  watched  anxiously  as  Albert  touched  the  match 
to  some  pine  shavings  which  were  to  form  the  kindling 
wood.  The  shavings  caught,  a  light  blaze  leaped  up, 
there  came  a  warning  crackle,  and  smoke,  too,  arose. 
Which  way  would  it  go?  The  little  column  wavered  a 

91 


THE    LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

moment  and  then  shot  straight  up  the  chimney.  It  grew 
larger,  but  still  shot  straight  up  the  chimney.  The 
flames  roared  and  were  drawn  in  the  same  direction. 

Albert  laughed  and  clapped  his  hands. 

"  It's  to  be  an  easy  time  and  a  happy  life !  "  he  ex 
claimed.  "  Those  old  beaver  hunters  knew  what  they 
were  about  when  they  built  this  chimney!  " 

1 '  You  can  cook  in  here,  Al, ' '  said  Dick ;  ' l  but  I  sug 
gest  that  we  sleep  in  the  tent  until  the  weather  grows 
bad." 

Dick  had  more  than  one  thing  in  mind  in  making 
this  suggestion  about  the  tent  and  sleeping.  The  air 
of  the  cabin  could  be  close  at  night  even  with  the  window 
open,  but  in  the  tent  with  the  flap  thrown  back— they 
never  closed  it— they  breathed  only  a  fresh  balsamic 
odor,  crisp  with  the  coolness  of  autumn.  He  had  watched 
Albert  all  the  time.  Now  and  then  when  he  had  exerted 
himself  more  than  usual,  the  younger  boy  would  cough, 
and  at  times  he  was  very  tired,  but  Dick,  however 
sharply  he  watched,  did  not  see  again  the  crimson  stain 
on  the  lips  that  he  had  noticed  the  night  of  the  flight 
from  the  massacre. 

But  the  older  brother,  two  years  older  only,  in  fact, 
but  ten  years  older,  at  least,  in  feeling,  did  notice  a  great 
change  in  Albert,  mental  as  well  as  physical.  The 
younger  boy  ceased  to  have  periods  of  despondency. 
While  he  could  not  do  the  things  that  Dick  did,  he  was 
improving,  and  he  never  lamented  his  lack  of  strength. 
It  seemed  to  him  a  matter  of  course,  so  far  as  Dick  could 
judge,  that  in  due  time  he  should  be  the  equal  of  the 
older  and  bigger  boy  in  muscle  and  skill. 

92 


CASTLE    HOWARD 

Albert,  moreover,  had  no  regrets  for  the  world  with- 
out.  Their  life  with  the  wagon  train  had  been  far  from 
pleasant,  and  he  had  only  Dick,  and  Dick  had  only  him. 
Now  the  life  in  the  enchanted  valley,  which  was  a  real 
valley  of  enchantments,  was  sufficient  for  him.  Each  day 
brought  forth  some  new  wonder,  some  fresh  and  interest 
ing  detail.  He  was  a  capable  fisherman,  and  he  caught 
trout  in  both  the  brook  and  the  river,  while  the  lake 
yielded  to  his  line  other  and  larger  fish,  the  names  of 
which  neither  boy  knew,  but  which  proved  to  be  of  deli 
cate  flavor  when  broiled  over  the  coals.  Just  above 
them  was  a  boiling  hot  spring,  and  Albert  used  the  water 
from  this  for  cooking  purposes.  "  Hot  and  cold  water 
whenever  you  please/'  he  said  to  Dick.  "  Nothing  to 
do  but  to  turn  the  tap." 

Dick  smiled ;  he,  too,  was  happy.  He  enjoyed  life  in 
the  enchanted  valley,  where  everything  seemed  to  have 
conspired  in  their  favor.  When  they  had  been  there 
about  a  week,  and  their  home  was  ready  for  any  emer 
gency,  Dick  took  his  gun  and  went  forth,  the  hunting 
spirit  strong  within  him.  They  had  heard  the  elk  whis 
tling  on  the  mountain  side  nearly  every  day,  and  he 
believed  that  elk  meat  would  prove  tender  and  good. 
Anyway  he  would  see. 

Dick  did  not  feel  much  concern  about  their  food  sup 
ply.  He  believed  that  vast  quantities  of  big  game  would 
come  into  this  valley  in  the  winter  to  seek  protection 
from  the  mighty  snows  of  the  northern  Rockies,  but  it 
was  just  as  well  to  begin  the  task  of  filling  the  larder. 

He  came  out  into  the  main  valley  and  turned  toward 
the  lake.  Autumn  was  now  well  advanced,  but  in  the 

93 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

cool  sunshine  the  lake  seemed  more  beautiful  than  e^er. 
Its  waters  were  golden  to-day,  but  with  a  silver  tint  at 
the  edges  where  the  pine-clad  banks  overhung  it.  Dick 
did  not  linger,  however.  He  turned  away  toward  the 
slopes,  whence  the  whistling  call  had  come  the  oftenest, 
and  was  soon  among  the  pines  and  cedars.  He  searched 
here  an  hour  or  more,  and  at  last  he  found  two  feeding, 
a  male  and  a  female. 

Dick  had  the  instinct  of  the  hunter,  and  already  ho 
had  acquired  great  skill.  Creeping  through  the  under 
growth,  he  came  within  easy  shot  of  the  animals,  and  he 
looked  at  them  a  little  before  shooting.  The  bull  was 
magnificent,  and  he,  if  any,  seemed  a  fit  subject  for  the 
bullet,  but  Dick  chose  the  cow,  knowing  that  she  would 
be  the  tenderer.  Only  a  single  shot  was  needed,  and 
then  he  had  a  great  task  to  carry  the  hide  and  the  body 
in  sections  to  the  cabin.  They  ate  elk  steaks  and  then 
hung  the  rest  in  the  trees  for  drying  and  jerking.  Dick, 
according  to  his  previous  plan,  used  the  skin  to  cover 
the  newly  mended  places  in  the  roof,  fastening  it  down 
tightly  with  small  wooden  pegs.  His  forethought  was 
vindicated  two  days  later  when  a  great  storm  came. 
Both  he  and  Albert  had  noticed  throughout  the  after 
noon  an  unusual  warmth  in  the  air.  It  affected  Albert 
particularly,  as  it  made  his  respiration  difficult.  Over 
the  mountains  in  the  west  they  saw  small  dark  clouds 
which  soon  began  to  grow  and  unite.  Dick  thought  he 
knew  what  it  portended,  and  he  and  his  brother  quickly 
taking  down  the  tent,  carried  it  and  all  its  equipment 
inside  the  cabin.  Then  making  fast  the  door  and  leaving 
the  window  open,  they  waited. 

94 


CASTLE    HOWARD 

The  heat  endured,  but  all  the  clouds  became  one  that 
overspread  the  entire  heavens.  Despite  the  lateness  of 
the  season,  the  thunder,  inexpressibly  solemn  and  majes 
tic,  rumbled  among  the  gorges,  and  there  was  a  quiver 
of  lightning.  It  was  as  dark  as  twilight. 

The  rain  came,  roaring  down  the  clefts  and  driving 
against  the  cabin  with  such  force  that  they  were  com 
pelled  to  close  the  window.  How  thankful  Dick  was  now 
for  Albert's  sake  that  they  had  such  a  secure  shelter! 
Nor  did  he  despise  it  for  his  own. 

The  rain,  driven  by  a  west  wind,  poured  heavily,  and 
the  air  rapidly  grew  colder.  Albert  piled  dry  firewood 
on  the  hearth  and  lighted  it.  The  flames  leaped  up,  and 
warmth,  dryness,  and  cheer  filled  all  the  little  cabin. 
Dick  had  been  anxiously  regarding  the  roof,  but  the  new 
boards  and  the  elk  skin  were  water-tight.  Not  a  drop 
came  through.  Higher  leaped  the  flames  and  the  rosy 
shadows  fell  upon  the  floor. 

"  It's  well  we  took  the  tent  down  and  came  in  here/' 
said  Albert.  ' '  Listen  to  that !  " 

The  steady,  driving  sweep  changed  to  a  rattle  and  a 
crackle.  The  rain  had  turned  to  hail,  and  it  was  like  the 
patter  of  rifle  fire  on  the  stout  little  cabin. 

"  It  may  rain  or  hail  or  snow,  or  do  whatever  it 
pleases,  but  it  can 't  get  at  us, ' '  said  Albert  exultingly. 

"  No,  it  can't,"  said  Dick.  "  I  wonder,  Al,  what 
Bright  Sun  is  doing  now?  '} 

"  A  peculiar  Indian,"  said  Albert  thoughtfully, 
"  but  it's  safe  to  say  that  wherever  he  is  he's  planning 
and  acting." 

* '  At  any  rate, ' '  said  Dick, ' '  we  're  not  likely  to  know 
95 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

it,  whatever  It  is,  for  a  long  time,  and  we  won't  bother 
trying  to  guess  about  it." 

It  hailed  for  an  hour  and  then  changed  to  rain  again, 
pouring  down  in  great  steadiness  and  volume.  Dick 
opened  the  window  a  little  way  once,  but  the  night  was 
far  advanced,  and  it  was  pitchy  black  outside.  They 
let  the  coals  die  down  to  a  glowing  bed,  and  then,  wrap 
ping  themselves  in  their  blankets,  they  slept  soundly 
all  through  the  night  and  the  driving  rain,  their  little 
cabin  as  precious  to  them  as  any  palace  was  ever  to  a 
king. 

Albert,  contrary  to  custom,  was  the  first  to  awake  the 
next  morning.  A  few  coals  from  the  fire  were  yet  alive 
on  the  hearth,  and  the  atmosphere  of  the  room,  breathed 
over  and  over  again  throughout  the  night,  was  close  and 
heavy.  He  threw  back  the  window  shutter,  and  the 
great  rush  of  pure  cold  air  into  the  opening  made  his 
body  thrill  with  delight.  This  was  a  physical  pleasure, 
but  the  sight  outside  gave  him  a  mental  rapture  even 
greater.  Nothing  was  falling  now,  but  the  rain  had 
turned  back  to  hail  before  it  ceased,  and  all  the  earth 
was  in  glittering  white.  The  trees  in  the  valley,  clothed 
in  ice,  were  like  lace  work,  and  above  them  towered  the 
shining  white  mountains. 

Albert  looked  back  at  Dick.  His  brother,  wrapped 
in  his  blanket,  still  slept,  with  his  arm  under  his  head 
and  his  face  toward  the  hearth.  He  looked  so  strong, 
so  enduring,  as  h.e  lay  there  sleeping  soundly,  and  Albert 
knew  that  he  was  both.  But  a  curious  feeling  was  in 
the  younger  boy 's  mind  that  morning.  He  was  glad  that 
he  had  awakened  first.  Hitherto  he  had  always  opened 

96 


CASTLE    HOWARD 

his  eyes  to  find  Dick  up  and  doing.  It  was  Dick  who 
had  done  everything.  It  was  Dick  who  had  saved  him 
from  the  Sioux;  it  was  Dick  who  had  practically  car 
ried  him  over  the  first  range ;  Dick  had  found  their  shel 
ter  in  the  pine  alcove ;  Dick  had  labored  day  and  night, 
day  after  day,  and  night  after  night,  bringing  the  stores 
over  the  mountain  from  the  lost  train,  then  he  had  found 
their  new  home  in  the  enchanted  valley,  which  Albert 
persisted  in  calling  it,  and  he  had  done  nearly  all  the 
hard  work  of  repairing  and  furnishing  the  cabin. 

It  should  not  always  be  so.  Albert's  heart  was  full 
of  gratitude  to  this  brother  of  his  who  was  so  brave  and 
resourceful,  but  he  wanted  to  do  his  share.  The  feeling 
was  based  partly  on  pride  and  partly  on  a  new  increase 
of  physical  strength.  He  took  a  deep  inhalation  of  the 
cold  mountain  air  and  held  it  long  in  his  lungs.  Then 
he  emitted  it  slowly.  There  was  no  pain,  no  feeling  of 
soreness,  and  it  was  the  first  time  he  could  remember 
that  it  had  been  so.  A  new  thrill  of  pleasure,  keener  and 
more  powerful  than  any  other,  shook  him  for  a  moment. 
It  was  a  belief,  nay,  a  certainty,  or  at  least  a  conviction, 
that  he  was  going  to  be  whole  and  sound.  The  moun 
tains  were  doing  their  kindly  healing.  He  could  have 
shouted  aloud  with  pleasure,  but  instead  he  restrained 
himself  and  went  outside,  softly  shutting  the  door  be 
hind  him. 

Autumn  had  gone  and  winter  had  come  in  a  night. 
The  trees  were  stripped  of  every  leaf  and  in  their  place 
was  the  sheathing  of  ice.  The  brook  roared  past,  swollen 
for  the  time  to  a  little  river.  The  air,  though  very 
cold,  was  dry  despite  the  heavy  rain  of  the  night  before. 

97 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Albert  shivered  more  than  once,  but  it  was  not  the  shiver 
of  weakness.  It  did  not  bite  to  the  very  marrow  of  him. 
Instead,  when  he  exercised  legs  and  arms  vigorously, 
warmth  came  back.  He  was  not  a  crushed  and  shriv 
eled  thing.  Now  he  laughed  aloud  in  sheer  delight.  He 
had  subjected  himself  to  another  test,  and  he  had  passed 
it  in  triumph. 

He  built  up  the  fire,  and  when  Dick  awoke,  the  pleas 
ant  aroma  of  cooking  filled  the  room. 

"  Why,  what's  this,  All  "  exclaimed  the  big  youth, 
rubbing  his  eyes. 

"  Oh,  I've  been  up  pretty  nearly  an  hour/*  replied 
Albert  airily.  ' '  Saw  that  you  were  having  a  fine  sleep, 
so  I  thought  I  wouldn't  disturb  you." 

Dick  looked  inquiringly  at  him.  He  thought  he  de 
tected  a  new  note  in  his  brother 's  voice,  a  note,  too,  that 
he  liked. 

' '  I  see, ' '  he  said ;  ' '  and  you  Ve  been  at  work  some 
time.  Do  you  feel  fully  equal  to  the  task?  " 

Albert  turned  and  faced  his  brother  squarely. 

"  IVe  been  thinking  a  lot,  and  feeling  a  lot  more  this 
morning,"  he  replied.  "  I've  been  trying  myself  out, 
as  they  say,  and  if  I'm  not  well  I'm  traveling  fast  in 
that  direction.  Hereafter  I  share  the  work  as  well  as  the 
rewards. ' ' 

Albert  spoke  almost  defiantly,  but  Dick  liked  his  tone 
and  manner  better  than  ever.  He  would  not,  on  any 
account,  have  said  anything  in  opposition  at  this  mo 
ment. 

"  All  right,  Al,  old  fellow.    That's  agreed,"  he  said. 


CHAPTER   Vli 

AN  ANIMAL  PROGRESSION 

THE  thin  sheath  of  ice  did  not  last  long.  On  the 
second  day  the  sun  came  out  and  melted  it  in  an 
hour.  Then  a  warm  wind  blew  and  in  a  few  more 
hours  the  earth  was  dry.  On  the  third  day  Albert  took 
his  repeating  rifle  from  the  hooks  on  the  wall  and  calmly 
announced  that  he  was  going  hunting. 

"  All  right/'  said  Dick;  "  and  as  I  feel  lazy  111  keep 
house  until  you  come  back.  Don't  get  chewed  up  by  a 
grizzly  bear." 

Dick  sat  down  in  the  doorway  of  the  cabin  and 
watched  his  brother  striding  off  down  the  valley,  gun  on 
shoulder,  figure  very  erect.  Dick  smiled;  but  it  was 
a  smile  of  pride,  not  derision. 

"  Good  old  Al !    He'll  do !  "  he  murmured. 

Albert  followed  the  brook  into  the  larger  valley  and 
then  went  down  by  the  side  of  the  lake.  Though  a  skill 
ful  shot,  he  was  not  yet  a  good  hunter,  but  he  knew  that 
one  must  make  a  beginning  and  he  wanted  to  learn 
through  his  own  mistakes. 

He  had  an  idea  that  game  could  be  found  most  easily 
in  the  forest  that  ran  down  the  mountain  side  to  the  lake, 
and  he  was  thinking  most  particularly  just  then  of  elk. 

99 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

He  had  become  familiar  with  the  loud,  whistling  sound, 
and  be  listened  for  it  now  but  did  not  hear  it. 

He  passed  the  spot  at  which  Dick  had  killed  the  big 
cow  elk  and  continued  northward  among  the  trees  that 
eovered  the  slopes  and  flat  land  between  the  mountain 
and  the  lake.  This  area  broadened  as  he  proceeded,  and, 
although  the  forest  was  leafless  now,  it  was  so  dense  and 
there  was  such  a  large  proportion  of  evergreens,  cedars, 
and  pines  that  Albert  could  not  see  very  far  ahead.  He 
crossed  several  brooks  pouring  down  from  the  peaks. 
All  were  in  flood,  and  once  or  twice  it  was  all  that  he 
could  do  with  a  flying  leap  to  clear  them,  but  he  went 
on,  undiscouraged,  keeping  a  sharp  watch  for  that  which 
he  was  hunting. 

Albert  did  not  know  much  about  big  game,  but  he 
remembered  hearing  Dick  say  that  elk  and  mule  deer 
would  be  likely  to  come  into  the  valley  for  shelter  at  the 
approach  of  winter,  and  he  was  hopeful  that  he  might 
have  the  luck  to  encounter  a  whole  herd  of  the  big  elk. 
Then,  indeed,  he  would  prove  that  he  was  an  equal  part 
ner  with  Dick  in  the  work  as  well  as  the  reward.  He 
wished  to  give  the  proof  at  once. 

He  had  not  been  so  far  up  the  north  end  of  the  valley 
before,  and  he  noticed  that  here  was  quite  an  expanse  of 
flat  country  on  either  side  of  the  lake.  But  the  moun 
tains  all  around  the  valley  were  so  high  that  it  seemed 
to  Albert  that  deer  and  other  wild  animals  might  find 
food  as  well  as  shelter  throughout  the  winter.  Hence 
he  was  quite  confident,  despite  his  poor  luck  so  far,  that 
he  should  find  big  game  soon,  and  his  hunting  fever 
increased.  He  had  never  shot  anything  bigger  than  a 

100 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION; : 

rabbit,  but  Albert  was  an  impressionable  boy,  and  his  im 
agination  at  once  leaped  over  the  gulf  from  a  rabbit 
to  a  grizzly  bear. 

He  had  the  lake,  an  immense  and  beautiful  blue  mir 
ror,  on  his  right  and  the  mountains  on  his  left,  but  the 
space  between  was  now  nearly  two  miles  in  width,  sown 
thickly  in  spots  with  pine  and  cedar,  ash  and  aspen,  and 
in  other  places  quite  open.  In  the  latter  the  grass  was 
green  despite  the  lateness  of  the  season,  and  Albert  sur 
mised  that  good  grazing  could  be  found  there  all  through 
the  winter,  even  under  the  snow.  Game  must  be  plenti 
ful  there,  too. 

The  way  dropped  down  a  little  into  a  sheltered  de 
pression,  and  Albert  heard  a  grunt  and  a  great  puffing 
breath.  A  huge  dark  animal  that  had  been  lying  among 
some  dwarf  pines  shuffled  to  its  feet,  and  Albert's  heart 
slipped  right  up  into  his  throat.  Here  was  his  grizzly, 
and  he  certainly  was  a  monster !  Every  nerve  in  Albert 
was  tingling,  and  instinct  bade  him  run.  Will  had  a 
hard  time  of  it  for  a  few  moments,  struggling  with  in 
stinct,  but  will  conquered,  and,  standing  his  ground, 
Albert  fired  a  bullet  from  his  repeater  at  the  great 
dark  mass. 

The  animal  emitted  his  puffing  roar  again  and 
rushed,  head  down,  but  blindly.  Then  Albert  saw  that 
he  had  roused  not  a  grizzly  bear  but  an  enormous  bull 
buffalo,  a  shaggy,  fierce  old  fellow  who  would  not  eat 
him,  but  who  might  gore  or  trample  him  to  death.  His 
aspect  was  so  terrible  that  will  again  came  near  going 
down  before  instinct,  but  Albert  did  not  run.  Instead, 
he  leaped  aside,  and,  as  the  buffalo  rushed  past,  he  fired 

101 


,  THE  LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

another  bullet  from  his  repeater  into  his  body  just  back 
of  the  fore  legs. 

The  animal  staggered,  and  Albert  staggered,  too, 
from  excitement  and  nervousness,  but  he  remembered  to 
take  aim  and  fire  again  and  again  with  his  heavy  re 
peater.  In  his  heat  and  haste  he  did  not  hear  a  shout 
behind  him,  but  he  did  see  the  great  bull  stagger,  then 
reel  and  fall  on  his  side,  after  which  he  lay  quite  still. 

Albert  stood,  rifle  in  hand,  trembling  and  incredu 
lous.  Could  it  be  he  who  had  slain  the  mightiest  buffalo 
that  ever  trod  the  earth?  The  bull  seemed  to  his  dis 
tended  eyes  and  flushed  brain  to  weigh  ten  tons  at  least, 
and  to  dwarf  the  biggest  elephant.  He  raised  his  hand 
to  his  forehead  and  then  sat  down  beside  his  trophy, 
overcome  with  weakness. 

"  Well,  now,  you  have  done  it,  young  one!  I 
thought  I'd  get  a  finger  in  this  pie,  but  I  came  up  too 
late !  Say,  young  fellow,  what's  your  name?  Is  it  Daniel 
Boone  or  Davy  Crockett?  " 

It  was  Dick  who  had  followed  in  an  apparently  cas 
ual  manner.  He  had  rushed  to  his  brother 's  rescue  when 
he  saw  the  bull  charging,  but  he  had  arrived  too  late — 
and  he  was  glad  of  it ;  the  triumph  was  wholly  Albert 's. 

Albert,  recovering  from  his  weakness,  looked  at  Dick, 
looked  at  the  buffalo,  and  then  looked  back  at  Dick.  All 
three  looks  were  as  full  of  triumph,  glory,  and  pride  as 
any  boy's  look  could  be. 

"  He's  as  big  as  a  mountain,  isn't  he,  Dick?  "  he 
said. 

"  Well,  not  quite  that,"  replied  Dick  gravely.  "  A 
good-sized  hill  would  be  a  better  comparison." 

102 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

The  buffalo  certainly  was  a  monster,  and  the  two 
boys  examined  him  critically.  Dick  was  of  the  opinion 
that  he  belonged  to  the  species  known  as  the  wood  bison, 
which  is  not  numerous  among  the  mountains,  but  which 
is  larger  than  the  ordinary  buffalo  of  the  plains.  The 
divergence  of  type,  however,  is  very  slight. 

"  He  must  have  been  an  outlaw/'  said  Dick;  "  a 
vicious  old  bull  compelled  to  wander  alone  because  of 
his  bad  manners.  Still,  it 's  likely  that  he 's  not  the  only 
buffalo  in  our  valley/' 

"  Can  we  eat  him?  "  asked  Albert. 

"  That's  a  question.  He's  sure  to  be  tough,  but  I 
remember  how  we  used  to  make  steak  tender  at  home  by 
beating  it  before  it  was  cooked.  We  might  serve  a  thou 
sand  pounds  or  two  of  this  bull  in  that  manner.  Be 
sides,  we  want  that  robe. ' ' 

The  robe  was  magnificent,  and  both  boys  felt  that  it 
would  prove  useful.  Dick  had  gained  some  experience 
from  his  own  buffalo  hunt  on  the  plains,  and  they  began 
work  at  once  with  their  sharp  hunting  knives.  It  was 
no  light  task  to  take  the  skin,  and  the  beast  was  so  heavy 
that  they  could  not  get  it  entirely  free  until  they  partly 
chopped  up  the  body  with  an  ax  that  Dick  brought  from 
the  cabin.  Then  it  made  a  roll  of  great  weight,  but 
Dick  spread  it  on  the  roof  of  their  home  to  cure.  They 
also  cut  out  great  sections  of  the  buffalo,  which  they  put 
in  the  same  place  for  drying  and  jerking. 

While  they  were  engaged  at  this  task,  Albert  saw 
a  pair  of  fiery  eyes  regarding  them  from  the  under 
growth. 

"  See,  Dick,"  he  said,  "  what  is  that?  " 
103 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Dick  saw  the  eyes,  the  lean  ugly  body  behind  it,  and 
he  shuddered.  He  knew.  It  Y/as  the  timber  wolf,  largest 
and  fiercest  of  the  species,  brother  to  him  whom  he  had 
seen  prowling  about  the  ruined  wagon  train.  The  brute 
called  up  painful  memories,  and,  seizing  his  rifle,  he 
fired  at  a  spot  midway  between  the  red  eyes.  The  wolf 
uttered  a  howl,  leaped  high  in  the  air,  and  fell  dead, 
lying  without  motion,  stretched  on  his  side. 

"  I  didn't  like  the  way  he  looked  at  us,"  explained 
Dick. 

A  horrible  growling  and  snapping  came  from  the 
bushes  presently. 

"  What's  that?  "  asked  Albert. 

"  It's  only  Mr.  Timber  Wolf's  brethren  eating  up 
Mr.  Timber  Wolf,  now  that  he  is  no  longer  of  any  use  to 
himself." 

Albert  shuddered,  too. 

It  was  nightfall  when  they  took  away  the  last  of  the 
buffalo  for  which  they  cared,  and  as  they  departed  they 
heard  in  the  twilight  the  patter  of  light  feet. 

"  It's  the  timber  wolves  rushing  for  what  we've 
left, ' '  said  Dick.  ' t  Those  are  big  and  fierce  brutes,  and 
you  and  I,  Al,  must  never  go  out  without  a  rifle  or  a 
revolver.  You  can't  tell  what  they'll  try,  especially  in 
the  winter. ' ' 

The  entire  roof  of  the  cabin  was  covered  the  next  day 
with  the  buffalo  robe  and  the  drying  meat,  and  birds  of 
prey  began  to  hover  above  it.  Albert  constituted  himself 
watchman,  and,  armed  with  a  long  stick,  took  his  place 
on  the  roof,  where  he  spent  the  day. 

Dick  shouldered  one  of  the  shotguns  and  went  down 
104 


AN   ANIMAL-   PROGRESSION 

to  the  lake.  There  he  shot  several  fine  teal,  and  in  one 
of  the  grassy  glades  near  it  he  roused  up  prairie  hen. 
Being  a  fine  shot,  he  secured  four  of  these,  and  returned 
to  the  cabin  with  his  acceptable  spoil. 

They  had  now  such  a  great  supply  of  stores  and 
equipment  that  their  place  was  crowded  and  they 
scarcely  had  room  for  sleeping  on  the  floor. 

11  What  we  need/'  said  Dick,  "  is  an  annex,  a  place 
that  can  be  used  for  a  storehouse  only,  and  this  valley, 
which  has  been  so  kind  to  us,  ought  to  continue  being 
kind  and  furnish  it." 

The  valley  did  furnish  the  annex,  and  it  was  Albert 
who  found  it.  He  discovered  a  little  farther  up  the  cleft 
an  enormous  oak,  old  and  decayed.  The  tree  was  at 
least  seven  feet  through,  and  the  hollow  itself  was  fully 
five  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  height  of  perhaps  fourteen 
feet.  It  was  very  rough  inside  with  sharp  projections 
in  every  direction  which  had  kept  any  large  animal  from 
making  his  den  there,  but  Albert  knew  at  once  that  the 
needed  place  had  been  found.  Full  of  enthusiasm  he 
ran  for  Dick,  who  came  instantly  to  see. 

"  Fine,"  said  Dick  approvingly.  "  Well  call  it  the 
4  Annex, '  sure  enough,  and  we  '11  get  to  work  right  away 
with  our  axes." 

They  cut  out  all  the  splinters  and  other  projections, 
smoothing  off  the  round  walls  and  the  floor,  and  they 
also  extended  the  hollow  overhead  somewhat. 

"  This  is  to  be  a  two-story  annex,"  said  Dick.  "  We 
need  lots  of  room." 

High  up  they  ran  small  poles  across,  fixing  them 
firmly  in  the  tree  on  either  side,  and  lower  down  they 

105 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHlEFJs 

planted  many  wooden  pegs  and  hooks  on  which  they 
might  hang  various  articles. 

"  Everything  will  keep  dry  in  here,"  said  Albert. 
"  I  would  not  mind  sleeping  in  the  Annex,  but  when 
the  door  is  closed  there  won 't  be  a  particle  of  air. ' ' 

It  was  the  "  door  "  that  gave  them  the  greatest 
trouble.  The  opening  by  which  they  entered  the  hollow 
was  about  four  feet  high  and  a  foot  and  a  half  across, 
and  both  boys  looked  at  it  a  long  time  before  they  could 
see  a  way  to  solve  the  puzzle. 

11  That  door  has  to  be  strong  enough  to  keep  every 
thing  out, ' '  said  Dick.  l '  We  mean  to  keep  most  of  our 
meat  supply  in  there,  and  that,  of  course,  will  draw  wild 
animals,  little  and  big;  it's  the  big  ones  we've  got  to 
guard  against/' 

After  strenuous  thinking,  they  smoothed  off  all  the 
sides  of  the  opening  in  order  that  a  flat  surface  might 
fit  perfectly  against  them.  Then  Dick  cut  down  a  small 
oak,  and  split  out  several  boards—not  a  difficult  task  for 
him,  as  he  had  often  helped  to  make  boards  in  Illinois. 
The  boards  were  laid  together  the  width  of  the  opening 
and  were  held  in  place  by  cross  pieces  fastened  with 
wooden  pegs.  Among  their  stores  were  two  augers  and 
two  gimlets,  and  they  were  veritable  godsends;  they 
enabled  the  boys  to  make  use  of  pegs  and  to  save  the 
few  nails  that  they  had  for  other  and  greater  emer- 
'  gencies. 

The  door  was  made,  and  now  came  the  task  to 
"  hang  "it.  "  Hang  "  was  merely  a  metaphorical 
word,  as  they  fitted  it  into  place  instead.  The  wood  all 
around  the  opening  was  about  a  foot  thick,  and  they  cut 

106 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

it  out  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  the  lintels  of  a  door 
way.  Then  they  fitted  in  the  door,  which  rested  securely 
in  its  grooves,  but  they  knew  that  the  claws  of  a  grizzly 
bear  or  mountain  lion  might  scratch  it  out,  and  they  in 
tended  to  make  it  secure  against  any  such  mischance. 

With  the  aid  of  hatchet  and  auger  they  put  three 
wooden  hooks  on  either  side  of  the  doorway,  exactly 
like  those  that  defend  the  door  of  a  frontier  cabin, 
and  into  these  they  dropped  three  stout  bars.  It  was 
true  that  the  bars  were  on  the  outside,  but  no  wild  ani 
mal  would  have  intelligence  enough  to  pry  up  those 
three  bars  and  scratch  the  door  out  of  place.  Moreover, 
it  could  not  happen  by  accident.  It  took  them  three  la 
borious  days  to  make  and  fit  this  door,  but  when  the  task 
was  done  they  contemplated  it  with  just  pride. 

"  I  call  that  about  the  finest  piece  of  carpenter's 
work  ever  done  in  these  mountains/'  said  Albert  in 
tones  suffused  with  satisfaction. 

"  Of  course/'  said  Dick.  "  Why  shouldn't  it  be, 
when  the  best  carpenters  in  the  world  did  the  job  ?  " 

The  two  laughed,  but  their  pride  was  real  and  no 
jest.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  they  finished 
this  task,  and  on  the  way  to  the  cabin  Albert  suddenly 
turned  white  and  reeled.  Dick  caught  him,  but  he  re 
mained  faint  for  sometime.  He  had  overtasked  himself, 
and  when  they  reached  the  cabin  Dick  made  him  lie 
down  on  the  great  buffalo  robe  while  he  cooked  supper. 
But,  contrary  to  his  former  habit,  Albert  revived  rap 
idly.  The  color  returned  to  his  face  and  he  sprang  up 
presently,  saying  that  he  was  hungry  enough  to  eat  a 
whole  elk.  Dick  felt  a  mighty  sense  of  relief.  Albert 

107 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

in  his  zeal  had  merely  overexerted  himself.  It  was  not 
any  relapse.  '  *  Here 's  the  elk  steak  and  you  can  eat  ten 
pounds  of  it  if  you  want  it,  ' '  he  said. 

They  began  early  the  next  morning  to  move  supplies 
to  the  Annex.  High  up  in  the  hollow  they  hung  great 
quantities  of  the  dried  meat  of  buffalo,  elk,  and  mule 
deer.  They  also  stored  there  several  elk  and  mule  deer 
skins,  two  wolf  skins,  and  other  supplies  that  they 
thought  they  would  not  need  for  a  while.  But  in  the 
main  it  was  what  they  called  a  smokehouse,  as  it  was 
universally  known  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  their 
former  home— that  is,  a  place  for  keeping  meat  cured  or 
to  be  cured. 

This  task  filled  the  entire  day,  and  when  the  door 
was  securely  fastened  in  place  they  returned  to  the 
cabin.  After  supper  Dick  opened  the  window,  from 
which  they  could  see  the  Annex,  as  they  had  cut  away  a 
quantity  of  the  intervening  bushes.  Albert  meanwhile 
put  out  the  last  coals  of  the  fire.  Then  he  joined  Dick 
at  the  window.  Both  had  an  idea  that  they  were  going 
to  see  something  interesting. 

The  valley  filled  with  darkness,  but  the  moon  came 
out,  and,  growing  used  to  the  darkness,  they  could  see 
the  Annex  fairly  well. 

Dick  wet  his  finger  and  held  it  up. 

"  The  wind  is  blowing  from  the  Annex  toward  us," 
he  said. 

"  That's  good,"  said  Albert,  nodding. 

They  watched  for  a  long  time,  hearing  only  the  dry 
rustling  of  the  light  wind  among  the  bare  boughs,  but 
at  last  Dick  softly  pushed  his  shoulder  against  Albert's. 

108 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

Albert  nodded  again,  with  comprehension.  A  small 
dark  animal  came  into  the  open  space  around  the  Annex. 
The  boys  had  difficulty  in  tracing  his  outlines  at  first, 
but  once  they  had  them  fixed,  they  followed  his  move 
ments  with  ease.  He  advanced  furtively,  stopping  at 
intervals  evidently  both  to  listen  and  look.  Some  other 
of  his  kind,  or  not  of  his  kind,  might  be  on  the  same 
quest  and  it  was  his  business  to  know. 

"  Is  it  a  fox?  "  whispered  Albert. 

"  I  think  not,"  replied  Dick  in  the  same  tone.  "  It 
must  be  a  wolverine.  He  scents  the  good  things  in  the 
Annex  and  he  wants,  oh,  how  he  wants,  the  taste  of 
them!" 

The  little  dark  animal,  after  delicate  maneuvering, 
came  close  up  to  the  tree,  and  they  saw  him  push  his 
nose  against  the  cold  bark. 

"  I  know  just  how  he  feels,"  whispered  Albert  with 
some  sympathy.  "  It's  all  there,  but  he  must  know  the 
quest  is  hopeless." 

The  little  animal  went  all  around  the  tree  nosing  the 
eold  bark,  and  then  stopped  again  at  the  side  of  the 
door. 

"  No  use,  sir,"  whispered  Albert.  "  That  door  wont 
open  just  because  you're  hungry." 

The  little  animal  suddenly  cocked  up  his  head  and 
darted  swiftly  away  into  the  shadows.  But  another  and 
somewhat  larger  beast  came  creeping  into  the  open,  ad 
vancing  with  caution  toward  the  Annex. 

"  Aha!  "  whispered  Dick.  "  Little  fellow  displaced 
by  a  bigger  one.  That  must  be  a  wild  cat." 

The  wild  cat  went  through  the  same  performance, 
109 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

He  nosed  eagerly  at  the  door,  circled  the  tree  two  or 
three  times,  but  always  came  back  to  the  place  where 
that  tempting,  well-nigh  irresistible  odor  assailed  him. 
The  boys  heard  a  low  growl  and  the  scratching  of  sharp 
claws  on  the  door. 

11  Now  he's  swearing  and  fighting/'  whispered  Al 
bert,  "  but  it  will  do  him  no  good.  Save  your  throat 
and  your  claws,  old  fellow." 

' '  Look,  he 's  gone !  ' '  whispered  Dick. 

The  wild  cat  suddenly  tucked  his  tail  between  his  legs 
and  fled  from  the  opening  so  swiftly  that  they  could 
scarcely  see  him  go. 

"  And  here  comes  his  successor, "  whispered  Albert. 
"  I  suppose,  Dick,  we  might  call  this  an  arithmetical  or 
geometrical  progression." 

An  enormous  timber  wolf  stalked  into  the  clear  space. 
He  bore  no  resemblance  to  the  mean,  sneaking  little 
coyote  of  the  prairie.  As  he  stood  upright  his  white 
teeth  could  be  seen,  and  there  was  the  slaver  of  hunger 
on  his  lips.  He,  too,  was  restive,  watchful,  and  suspi 
cious,  but  it  did  not  seem  to  either  Dick  or  Albert  that 
his  movements  betokened  fear.  There  was  strength  in 
his  long,  lean  body,  and  ferocity  in  his  little  red  eyes. 

"  What  a  hideous  brute!  "  whispered  Albert,  shud 
dering. 

11  And  as  wicked  as  he  is  ugly,"  replied  Dick.  "  I 
hate  the  sight  of  these  timber  wolves.  I  don't  wonder 
that  the  wild  cat  made  himself  scarce  so  quickly." 

"  And  he's  surely  hungry!  "  said  Albert.  "  See 
how  he  stretches  out  his  head  toward  our  Annex,  as  if 
he  would  devour  everything  inside  it !  " 

110 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

Albert  was  right.  The  big  wolf  was  hungry,  hungry 
through  and  through,  and  the  odor  that  came  from  the 
tree  was  exquisite  and  permeating;  it  was  a  mingled 
odor  of  many  things  and  everything  was  good.  He  had 
never  before  known  a  tree  to  give  forth  such  a  delight 
ful  aroma  and  he  thrilled  in  every  wolfish  fiber  as  it 
tickled  his  nostrils. 

He  approached  the  tree  with  all  the  caution  of  his 
cautious  and  crafty  race,  and,  as  he  laid  his  nose  upon 
the  bark,  that  mingled  aroma  of  many  things  good  grew 
so  keen  and  powerful  that  he  came  as  near  as  a  big 
wolf  can  to  fainting  with  delight.  He  pushed  at  the 
places  where  the  door  fitted  into  the  tree,  but  nothing 
yielded.  Those  keen  and  powerful  odors  that  penetrated 
delightfully  to  every  marrow  of  him  were  still  there, 
but  he  could  not  reach  their  source.  A  certain  disap 
pointment,  a  vague  fear  of  failure  mingled  with  his 
anticipation,  and  as  the  wolverine  and  the  wild  cat  had 
done,  he  moved  uneasily  around  the  tree,  scratching  at 
the  bark,  and  now  and  then  biting  it  with  teeth  that 
were  very  long  and  cruel. 

His  troubled  circuit  brought  him  back  to  the  door, 
where  the  aroma  was  finest  and  strongest.  There  he 
tore  at  the  lowest  bar  with  tooth  and  claw,  but  it  did 
not  more.  He  had  the  aroma  and  nothing  more,  and 
no  big,  strong  wolf  can  live  on  odors  only.  The  vague 
disappointment  grew  into  a  positive  rage.  He  felt  in 
stinctively  that  he  could  not  reach  the  good  things  that 
the  wonderful  tree  held  within  itself,  but  he  persisted. 
He  bent  his  back,  uttered  a  growl  of  wrath  just  as  a  man 
swears,  and  fell  to  again  with  tooth  and  claw. 

Ill 


THE   LAST   OF   THE    CHIEFS 

"  If  I  didn't  know  that  door  was  so  very  strong,  I'd 
be  afraid  he  'd  get  in, ' '  whispered  Albert. 

* '  Never  fear, ' '  Dick  whispered  back  with  confidence. 

The  big  wolf  suddenly  paused  in  his  effort.  Tooth 
and  claw  were  still,  and  he  crouched  hard  against  the 
tree,  as  if  he  would  have  his  body  to  blend  with  its 
shadow.  A  new  odor  had  come  to  his  nostrils.  It  did 
not  come  from  the  tree.  Nor  was  it  pleasant.  Instead, 
it  told  him  of  something  hostile  and  powerful.  He  was 
big  and  strong  himself,  but  this  that  came  was  bigger 
and  stronger.  The  growl  that  had  risen  in  his  throat 
stopped  at  his  teeth.  A  chill  ran  down  his  backbone  and 
the  hair  upon  it  stood  up.  The  great  wolf  was  afraid, 
and  he  knew  he  was  afraid. 

"  Look!  "  whispered  Albert  in  rising  excitement. 
' t  The  wolf,  too,  is  stealing  away !  He  is  scared  by  some 
thing!  " 

"And  good  cause  he  has  to  be  scared,"  said  Dick. 
"  See  what 'scorning!  " 

A  great  tawny  beast  stood  for  a  moment  at  the  edge 
of  the  clearing.  He  was  crouched  low  against  the 
ground,  but  his  body  was  long  and  powerful,  with  mas 
sive  shoulders  and  fore  arms.  His  eyes  were  yellow  im 
the  moonlight,  and  they  stared  straight  at  the  Annex. 
The  big  wolf  took  one  hasty  frightened  look  and  then 
fled  silently  in  the  other  direction.  He  knew  now  that 
the  treasures  of  the  Annex  were  not  for  him. 

"  It's  a  cougar/'  whispered  Dick,  "  and  it  must  be 
the  king  of  them  all.  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  whop 
per?  " 

The  cougar  came  farther  into  the  clearing.  He  was 
112 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

of  great  size,  but  he  was  a  cat— a  huge  cat,  but  a  cat, 
nevertheless— and  like  a  cat  he  acted.  He  dragged  his 
body  along  the  earth,  and  his  eyes,  now  yellow,  now 
green,  in  the  moonlight,  were  swung  suspiciously  from 
side  to  side.  He  felt  all  that  the  wolf  had  felt,  but  he 
was  even  more  cunning  and  his  approach  was  slower. 
It  was  his  habit  to  spring  when  close  enough,  but  he 
saw  nothing  to  spring  at  except  a  tree  trunk,  and  so  he 
still  crept  forward  on  noiseless  pads. 

' '  Now,  what  will  Mr.  Cougar  do  ?  "  asked  Albert. 

"  Just  what  the  others  have  done/'  replied  Dick. 
"  He  will  scratch  and  bite  harder  because  he  is  bigger 
and  stronger,  but  we've  fixed  our  Annex  for  just  such 
attacks.  It  will  keep  him  out. ' ' 

Dick  was  right.  The  cougar  or  mountain  lion  be 
haved  exactly  as  the  others  had  done.  He  tore  at  the 
door,  then  he  circled  the  tree  two  or  three  times,  hunting 
in  vain  for  an  opening.  Every  vein  in  him  was  swollen 
with  rage,  and  the  yellowish-green  eyes  flared  anger. 

"  He'd  be  an  ugly  creature  to  meet  just  now,"  whis 
pered  Dick.  "  He's  so  mad  that  I  believe  he'd  attack 
an  elephant." 

"  He's  certainly  in  no  good  humor,"  replied  Dick. 
"  But  look,  Al!  See  his  tail  drop  between  his  legs! 
Now  what  under  the  moon  is  about  to  happen  ?  ' ! 

Albert,  surcharged  with  interest  and  excitement, 
stared  as  Dick  was  staring.  The  mighty  cat  seemed 
suddenly  to  crumple  up.  His  frame  shrank,  his  head 
was  drawn  in,  he  sank  lower  to  the  earth,  as  if  he  would 
burrow  into  it,  but  he  uttered  no  sound  whatever.  He 
was  to  both  the  boys  a  symbol  of  fear. 

113 


THE    LAST    OF   THE    CHIEFS 

' '  What  a  change !  "What  does  it  mean  ?  ' 9  whispered 
Albert. 

"  It  must  mean/'  replied  Dick,  "  that  he,  too,  has  a 
master  and  that  the  master  is  coming. ' ' 

The  cougar  suddenly  bunched  himself  up  and  there 
Was  a  flash  of  tawny  fur  as  he  shot  through  the  air.  A 
second  leap  and  the  trees  closed  over  his  frightened 
figure.  Albert  believed  that  he  would  not  stop  running 
for  an  hour. 

Into  the  opening,  mighty  and  fearless,  shambled  a 
monstrous  beast.  He  had  a  square  head,  a  long,  immense 
body,  and  the  claws  of  his  great  feet  were  hooked,  many 
inches  in  length,  and  as  sharp  and  hard  as  if  made  of 
steel.  The  figure  of  the  beast  stood  for  power  and  un 
bounded  strength,  and  his  movements  indicated  over 
whelming  confidence.  There  was  nothing  for  him  to 
fear.  He  had  never  seen  any  living  creature  that  could 
do  him  harm.  It  was  a  gigantic  grizzly  bear. 

Albert,  despite  himself,  as  he  looked  at  the  terrible 
brute,  felt  fear.  It  was  there,  unconfined,  and  a  single 
blow  of  its  paw  could  sweep  the  strongest  man  out  of 
existence. 

"I'm  glad  I'm  in  this  cabin,  and  that  this  cabin  is 
strong,"  he  whispered  tremulously. 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Dick,  and  his  own  whisper  was  a 
little  shaky.  "  It's  one  thing  to  see  a  grizzly  in  a  cage, 
and  another  to  see  him  out  here  in  the  dark  in  these  wild 
mountains.  And  that  fellow  must  weigh  at  least  a 
thousand  pounds." 

King  Bruin  shambled  boldly  across  the  opening  to 
the  Annex.  Why  should  he  be  careful?  There  might 

114 


AN    ANIMAL    PROGRESSION 

be  other  animals  among  the  bushes  and  trees  watching 
him,  but  they  were  weak,  timid  things,  and  they  would 
run  from  his  shadow.  In  the  wan  moonlight,  which 
distorted  and  exaggerated,  his  huge  bulk  seemed  to  the 
two  boys  to  grow  to  twice  its  size.  When  he  reached  the 
tree  he  reared  up  against  it,  growled  in  a  manner  that 
made  the  blood  of  the  boys  run  cold,  and  began  to  tear 
with  teeth  and  claws  of  hooked  steel.  The  bark  and 
splinters  flew,  and,  for  a  moment,  Dick  was  fearful  lest 
he  should  force  the  door  to  their  treasure.  But  it  was 
only  for  a  moment;  not  even  a  grizzly  could  break  or 
tear  his  way  through  such  a  thickness  of  oak. 

"  Nothing  can  displace  him,"  whispered  Albert. 
"  He's  the  real  king. " 

' '  He 's  not  the  king, ' '  replied  Dick,  ' '  and  something 
can  displace  him." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  asked  Albert  with  mere* 
dulity. 

' '  No  beast  is  king.  It 's  man,  and  man  is  here.  I  'm 
going  to  have  a  shot  at  that  monster  who  is  trying  to 
rob  us.  We  can  reach  him  from  here  with  a  bullet.  You 
take  aim,  too,  Al." 

They  opened  the  window  a  little  wider,  being  careful 
to  make  no  noise,  and  aimed  their  rifles  at  the  bear,  who 
was  still  tearing  at  the  tree  in  his  rage. 

"  Try  to  hit  him  in  the  heart,  Al,"  whispered  Dick, 
"  and  I'll  try  to  do  the  same.  I'll  count  three  in  a 
whisper,  and  at  the  '  three  '  we'll  fire  together." 

The  hands  of  both  boys  as  they  leveled  their  weapons 
were  trembling,  not  with  fear,  but  from  sheer  nervous 
ness.  The  bear,  meanwhile,  had  taken  no  notice  and 

115 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

was  still  striving  to  reach  the  hidden  treasures.  Like 
others,  he  had  made  the  circuit  of  the  Annex  more  than 
once,  but  now  he  was  reared  up  again  at  the  door,  pull 
ing  at  it  with  mighty  tooth  and  claw.  It  seemed  to  both 
as  they  looked  down  the  barrels  of  their  rifles  and  chose 
the  vulnerable  spot  that,  monstrous  and  misshapen,  he 
was  constantly  growing  in  size,  so  powerful  was  the 
effect  of  the  moonlight  and  their  imagination.  But  itf 
was  terrible  fact  to  them. 

They  could  see  him  with  great  distinctness,  and  so 
silent  was  the  valley  otherwise  that  they  could  hear  the 
sound  of  his  claws  ripping  across  the  bark.  He  was  like 
some  gigantic  survival  of  another  age.  Dick  waited 
until  both  his  brother  and  himself  grew  steadier. 

' '  Now  don 't  miss,  Albert, ' '  he  said. 

He  counted  "  One,  two,  three/7  slowly,  and  at  the 
* '  three !  ' '  the  report  of  the  two  rifles  came  as  one. 
They  saw  the  great  bear  drop  down  from  the  tree,  they 
heard  an  indescribable  roar  of  pain  and  rage,  and  then 
they  saw  his  huge  bulk  rushing  down  upon  them.  Dick 
fired  three  times  and  Albert  twice,  but  the  bear  still 
came,  and  then  Dick  slammed  the  window  shut  and 
fastened  it  just  as  the  full  weight  of  the  bear  was 
hurled  against  the  cabin. 

Neither  boy  ever  concealed  from  himself  the  fact 
that  he  was  in  a  panic  for  a  few  moments.  Their  bullets 
seemed  to  have  had  no  effect  upon  the  huge  grizzly,  who 
was  growling  ferociously  and  tearing  at  the  logs  of  the 
cabin.  Glad  they  were  that  those  lo^r  were  so  stout 
and  thick,  and  they  stood  there  a  little  \,  .-.ie  in  the  dark 
ness,  their  blood  chilling  at  the  sounds  outside.  Pres- 

116 


AN   ANIMAL   PROGRESSION 

ently  the  roaring  and  tearing  ceased  and  there  was  the 
sound  of  a  fall.  It  was  so  dark  in  the  cabin  that  the 
brothers  could  not  see  the  faces  of  each  other,  but  Dick 
whispered : 

"  Albert,  I  believe  we've  kiUed  him,  after  all." 
Albert  said  nothing  and  they  waited  a  full  ten 
minutes.  No  sound  whatever  came  to  their  ears.  Then 
Dick  opened  the  window  an  inch  or  two  and  peeped  out. 
The  great  bear  lay  upon  his  side  quite  still,  and  Dick 
uttered  a  cry  of  joy. 

I  i  We  've  killed  him,  Al !  we  've  killed  him !  ' '  he  cried. 
1 '  Are  you  sure  ?  ' '  asked  Albert. 

II  Quite  sure.    He  does  not  stir  in  the  slightest." 
They  opened  the  door  and  went  out.     The  great 

grizzly  was  really  dead.  Their  bullets  had  gone  true, 
but  his  vitality  was  so  enormous  that  he  had  been  able 
to  rush  upon  the  cabin  and  tear  at  it  in  his  rage  until 
he  fell  dead.  Both  boys  looked  at  him  with  admiration 
and  awe ;  even  dead,  he  was  terrifying  in  every  respect. 

"  I  don't  wonder  that  the  cougar,  big  and  strong 
as  he  was,  slunk  away  in  terror  when  he  saw  old  Eph- 
raim  coming,"  said  Dick. 

1 '  "We  must  have  his  skin  to  put  with  our  two  buffalo 
robes, ' '  said  Albert. 

' '  And  we  must  take  it  to-night, ' '  said  Dick,  ' l  or  the 
wolves  will  be  here  while  we  sleep." 

They  had  acquired  some  skill  in  the  art  of  removing 
furs  and  pelts,  but  it  took  them  hours  to  strip  the  coat 
from  the  big  grizzly.  Then,  as  in  the  case  of  the  buffalo, 
they  cut  away  some  portions  of  the  meat  that  they 
thought  might  prove  tender.  They  put  the  hide  upon 

117 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  roof  to  dry,  and,  their  work  over,  they  went  to  sleep 
behind  a  door  securely  fastened. 

Dick  was  awakened  once  by  what  he  thought  was  a 
sound  of  growling  and  fighting  outside,  but  he  was  so 
sleepy  that  it  made  no  impression  upon  him.  They  did 
not  awake  fully  until  nearly  noon,  and  when  they  went 
forth  they  found  that  nothing  was  left  of  the  great 
bear  but  his  skeleton. 

"  The  timber  wolves  have  been  busy/'  said  Dick. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE   TRAP   MAKERS 

THE  hide  of  the  bear,  which  they  cured  in  good 
style,  was  a  magnificent  trophy;  the  fur  was 
soft  and  long,  and  when  spread  out  came  near 
covering  the  floor  of  their  cabin.  It  was  a  fit  match  for 
the  robe  of  the  buffalo.  They  did  not  know  much  about 
grizzlies,  but  they  believed  that  no  larger  bear  would 
ever  be  killed  in  the  Eocky  Mountains. 

A  few  days  later  Dick  shot  another  buffalo  in  one 
of  the  defiles,  but  this  was  a  young  cow  and  her  flesh 
was  tender.  They  lived  on  a  portion  of  it  from  day  to 
day  and  the  rest  they  cured  and  put  in  the  Annex. 
They  added  the  robe  to  their  store  of  furs. 

''I'm  thinking, "  said  Dick,  "  that  you  and  I,  Al, 
might  turn  fur  hunters.  This  seems  to  be  an  isolated 
corner  of  the  mountains.  It  may  have  been  trapped 
out  long  ago,  but  when  man  goes  away  the  game  comes 
back.  We've  got  a  comfortable  house,  and,  with  this 
as  a  basis,  we  might  do  better  hunting  furs  here  than 
if  we  were  hunting  gold  in  California,  where  the  chances 
are  always  against  you. 

The  idea  appealed  to  Albert,  but  for  the  present 
they  contented  themselves  with  improving  their  house 

119 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  surroundings.  Other  bears,  cougars,  and  wolves 
came  at  night  and  prowled  around  the  Annex,  but  it 
was  secure  against  them  all,  and  Dick  and  Albert  never 
troubled  themselves  again  to  keep  awake  and  watch  for 
such  intruders. 

Winter  now  advanced  and  it  was  very  £old,  but, 
to  Dick's  great  relief,  no  snow  came.  It  was  on  Albert's 
account  that  he  wished  air  and  earth  to  remain  dry, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  Nature  were  doing  her  best  to  help 
the  boy's  recovery.  The  cough  did  not  come  again, 
he  had  no  more  spells  of  great  exhaustion,  the  physical 
uplift  became  mental  also,  and  his  spirits,  because  of 
the  rebound,  fairly  bubbled.  He  was  full  of  ideas, 
continually  making  experiments,  and  had  great  plans 
in  regard  to  the  valley  and  Castle  Howard,  as  he  some 
times  playfully  called  their  cabin. 

One  of  the  things  that  pleased  Albert  most  was  his 
diversion  of  water  from  a  hot  spring  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  cabin  and  higher  up  the  ravine.  He  dug  a 
trench  all  the  way  from  the  pool  to  the  house,  and  the 
hot  water  came  bubbling  down  to  their  very  door.  It 
cooled,  of  course,  a  little  on  the  way,  but  it  was  still 
warm  enough  for  cooking  purposes,  and  Albert  was 
hugely  delighted. 

"  Hot  water!  Cold  water!  Whatever  you  wish, 
Dick, "  he  said ;  "  just  turn  on  the  tap.  If  my  inventive 
faculty  keeps  on  growing,  I'll  soon  have  a  shower  bath, 
hot  and  cold,  rigged  up  here." 

"  It  won't  grow  enough  for  that,"  said  Dick;  "  but 
I  want  to  tell  you,  Al,  that  the  big  game  in  the  valley 
is  increasing  at  a  remarkable  rate.  Although  cold,  it's 

120 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

been  a  very  open  winter  so  far,  but  I  suppose  the 
instinct  of  these  animals  warns  them  to  seek  a  sheltered 
place  in  time.'* 

"  Instinct  or  the  habit  of  endless  generations, "  said 
Albert. 

"  Which  may  be  the  same  thing,"  rejoined  Dick. 

"  Just  what  increase  have  you  seen  lately?  "  asked 
Albert. 

"  There's  a  whole  herd  of  elk  beyond  the  far  end 
of  the  lake,  I've  noticed  on  the  cliffs  what  I  take  to  be 
mountain  sheep,  and  thirty  or  forty  buffaloes  at  least 
must  be  ranging  about  in  here. ' ' 

"Then,"  said  Albert,  "let's  have  a  try  at  the 
buffaloes.  Their  robes  will  be  worth  a  lot  when  we 
go  back  to  civilization,  and  there  is  more  room  left  in 
the  Annex." 

They  took  their  repeaters  and  soon  proved  Dick's 
words  to  be  true.  In  a  sheltered  meadow  three  or  more 
miles  up  the  valley  they  found  about  twenty  buffaloes 
grazing.  Each  shot  down  a  fat  cow,  and  they  could 
have  secured  more  had  not  the  minds  of  both  boys 
rebelled  at  the  idea  of  slaughter. 

"  It's  true  we'd  like  to  have  the  robes,"  said  Dick, 
"  but  we'd  have  to  leave  most  of  the  carcasses  rotting 
here.  Even  with  the  wonderful  appetites  that  we've 
developed,  we  couldn't  eat  a  whole  buffalo  herd  in  one 
winter." 

But  after  they  had  eaten  the  tongue,  brisket,  and 
tenderloin  of  the  two  cows,  while  fresh,  these  being  the 
tenderest  and  best  parts  of  the  buffalo,  they  added  the 
rest  of  the  meat  to  their  stores  in  the  Annex.  As  they 

121 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

had  done  already  in  several  cases,  they  jerked  it,  a 
most  useful  operation  that  observant  Dick  had  learned 
when  they  were  with  the  wagon  train. 

It  took  a  lot  of  labor  and  time  to  jerk  the  buffaloes, 
but  neither  boy  had  a  lazy  bone  in  him,  and  time  seemed 
to  stretch  away  into  eternity  before  them.  They  cut 
the  flesh  into  long,  thin  strips,  taking  it  all  from  the 
bones.  Then  all  these  pieces  were  thoroughly  mixed 
with  salt— fortunately,  they  could  obtain  an  unlimited 
Supply  of  salt  by  boiling  out  the  water  from  the  numer 
ous  salt  springs  in  the  valley— chiefly  by  pounding 
and  rubbing.  They  let  these  strips  remain  inside  the 
hides  about  three  hours,  then  all  was  ready  for  the  main 
process  of  jerking. 

Albert  had  been  doing  the  salting  and  Dick  mean 
while  had  been  getting  ready  the  frame  for  the  jerking, 
He  drove  four  forked  poles  into  the  ground,  in  the  form 
of  a  square  and  about  seven  feet  apart.  The  forks  were 
between  four  and  five  feet  above  the  ground.  On  op 
posite  sides  of  the  square,  from  fork  to  fork,  he  laid 
two  stout  young  poles  of  fresh,  green  wood.  Then  from 
pole  to  pole  he  laid  many  other  and  smaller  poles,  gen 
erally  about  an  inch  apart.  They  laid  the  strips  of 
buffalo  meat,  taken  from  their  salt  bath,  upon  the  net 
work  of  small  poles,  and  beneath  they  built  a  good  fire 
of  birch,  ash,  and  oak. 

"  Why,  it  makes  me  think  of  a  smokehouse  at  home/1 
said  Albert. 

"  Same  principle, "  said  Dick,  "  but  if  you  let  that 
fire  under  there  go  out,  Al,  IH  take  on*?  of  those  fcirca 
rods  and  give  you  the  biggest  whaling  you  ever  had  in 

122 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

your  life.  You're  strong  enough  now  to  stand  a  good 
licking." 

Albert  laughed.  He  thought  his  big  brother  Dick 
about  the  greatest  fellow  on  earth.  But  he  paid  assidu 
ous  attention  to  the  fire,  and  Dick  did  so,  too.  They  kept 
it  chiefly  a  great  bed  of  coals,  never  allowing  the  flames 
to  rise  as  high  as  the  buffalo  meat,  and  they  watched 
over  it  twenty-four  hours.  In  order  to  keep  this  watch, 
they  deserted  the  cabin  for  a  night,  sleeping  by  turns 
before  the  fire  under  the  frame  of  poles,  which  was  no 
hardship  to  them. 

The  fierce  timber  wolves  came  again  in  the  night,  at 
tracted  by  the  savory  odor  of  buffalo  meat;  and  once 
they  crept  near  and  were  so  threatening  that  Albert, 
whose  turn  it  was  at  the  watch,  became  alarmed.  He 
awakened  Dick,  and,  in  order  to  teach  these  dangerous 
marauders  a  lesson,  they  shot  two  of  them.  Then  the 
shrewd  animals,  perceiving  that  the  two-legged  beasts  by 
the  fire  carried  something  very  deadly  with  which  they 
slew  at  a  distance,  kept  for  a  while  to  the  forest  and  out 
of  sight. 

After  the  twenty-four  hours  of  fire  drying,  the  buf 
falo  meat  was  greatly  reduced  in  weight  and  bulk, 
though  it  was  packed  as  full  as  ever  with  sustenance.  It 
was  now  cured,  that  is,  jerked,  and  would  keep  any 
length  of  time.  While  the  frame  was  ready  they  jerked 
an  elk,  two  mule  deer,  a  big  silver-tip  bear  that  Dick  shot 
on  the  mountain  side,  and  many  fish  that  they  caught 
in  the  lake  and  the  little  river.  They  would  scale  the 
fish,  cut  them  open  down  the  back,  and  then  remove  the 
bone.  After  that  the  flesh  was  jerked  on  the  scaffold 

123 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

in  the  same  way  that  the  meat  of  the  buffalo  and  deer 
was  treated. 

Before  these  operations  were  finished,  the  big  timber 
wolves  began  to  be  troublesome  again.  Neither  boy 
dared  to  be  anywhere  near  the  jerking  stage  without  a 
rifle  or  revolver,  and  Dick  finally  invented  a  spring  pole 
upon  which  they  could  put  the  fresh  meat  that  was  wait 
ing  its  turn  to  be  prepared — they  did  not  want  to  carry 
the  heavy  weight  to  the  house  for  safety,  and  then  have 
to  bring  it  back  again. 

While  Dick's  spring  pole  was  his  own  invention,  as 
far  as  he  was  concerned,  it  was  the  same  as  that  used  by 
thousands  of  other  trappers  and  hunters.  He  chose  a 
big  strong  sapling  which  Albert  and  he  with  a  great 
effort  bent  down.  Then  he  cut  off  a  number  of  the 
boughs  high  up,  and  in  each  crotch  fastened  a  big  piece 
of  meat.  The  sapling  was  then  allowed  to  spring  back 
into  place  and  the  meat  was  beyond  the  reach  of  wolf. 

But  the  wolves  tried  for  it,  nevertheless.  Dick  awak 
ened  Albert  the  first  night  after  this  invention  was  tried 
and  asked  him  if  he  wished  to  see  a  ghost  dance.  Albert, 
wrapped  to  his  eyes  in  the  great  buffalo  robe,  promptly 
sat  up  and  looked. 

They  had  filled  four  neighboring  saplings  with  meat, 
and  at  least  twenty  wolves  were  gathered  under  them, 
looking  skyward,  but  not  at  the  sky — it  was  the  flesh 
of  elk  and  buffalo  that  they  gazed  at  so  longingly,  and 
delicious  odors  that  they  knew  assailed  their  nostrils. 

But  the  wolf  is  an  enterprising  animal.  He  does  not 
merely  sit  and  look  at  what  he  wants,  expecting  it  to 
come  to  him.  Every  wolf  in  the  band  knew  that  no 

124 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

matter  how  hard  and  long  he  might  look  that  splendid 
food  in  the  tree  would  not  drop  down  into  his  waiting 
mouth.  So  they  began  to  jump  for  it,  and  it  was  this 
midnight  and  wilderness  ballet  that  Albert  opened  his 
eyes  to  watch. 

One  wolf,  the  biggest  of  the  lot,  leaped.  It  was  a 
fine  leap,  and  might  have  won  him  a  championship 
among  his  kind,  but  he  did  not  reach  the  prize.  His 
teeth  snapped  together,  touching  only  one  another,  and 
he  fell.  Albert  imagined  that  he  could  hear  a  disap 
pointed  growl.  Another  wolf  leaped,  the  chief  leaped 
again,  a  third,  a  fourth,  and  a  fifth  leaped,  and  then  all 
began  to  leap  together. 

The  air  was  full  of  flying  wolfish  forms,  going  up  or 
coming  down.  They  went  up,  hearts  full  of  hope,  and 
came  down,  mouths  empty  of  everything  but  disap 
pointed  foam.  Teeth  savagely  hit  teeth,  and  growls  of 
wrath  were  abundant.  Albert  felt  a  ridiculous  inclina 
tion  to  laugh.  The  whole  affair  presented  its  ludicrous 
aspect  to  him. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  so  much  jumping  for  so  little  re 
ward?  "  he  whispered  to  Dick. 

"  No,  not  unless  they're  taking  exercise  to  keep 
themselves  thin,  although  I  never  heard  of  a  fat  wolf." 

But  a  wolf  does  not  give  up  easily.  They  continued  to 
leap  faster  and  faster,  and  now  and  then  a  little  higher 
than  before,  although  empty  tooth  still  struck  empty 
tooth.  Now  and  then  a  wolf  more  prone  to  complaint 
than  the  others  lifted  up  his  voice  and  howled  his  rago 
and  chagrin  to  the  moon.  It  was  a  genuine  moan,  a 
long,  whining  cry  that  echoed  far  through  the  fores* 

125 


THE    LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

and  along  the  slopes,  and  whenever  Albert  heard  it  he 
felt  more  strongly  than  ever  the  inclination  to  laugh. 

11  I  suppose  that  a  wolf's  woes  are  as  real  as  our 
own/'  he  whispered,  "  but  they  do  look  funny  and  act 
funny. ' ' 

"  Strikes  me  the  same  way,"  replied  Dick  with  a 
grin.  "  But  they're  robbers,  or  would  be  if  they  could. 
That  meat's  ours,  and  they're  trying  to  get  it." 

It  was  in  truth  a  hard  case  for  the  wolves.  They  were 
very  big  and  very  strong.  Doubtless,  the  selfsame  wolf 
that  had  been  driven  away  from  the  Annex  by  the  moun 
tain  lion  was  among  them,  and  all  of  them  were  atro 
ciously  hungry.  It  was  not  merely  an  odor  now,  they 
could  also  see  the  splendid  food  hanging  just  above  their 
heads.  Never  before  had  they  leaped  so  persistently,  so 
ardently,  and  so  high,  but  there  was  no  reward,  abso 
lutely  none.  Not  a  tooth  felt  the  touch  of  flesh.  The- 
wolves  looked  around  at  one  another  jealously,  but  the 
record  was  as  clean  as  their  teeth.  There  had  been  no 
surreptitious  captures. 

"  "Will  they  keep  it  up  all  night?  "  whispered  Albert. 

"  Can't  say,"  replied  Dick.     "  We'll  just  watch." 

All  the  wolves  presently  stopped  leaping  and 
crouched  on  the  earth,  staring  straight  up  at  the  prizes 
which  hung,  as  ever,  most  tantalizingly  out  of  reach. 
The  moonlight  fell  full  upon  them,  a  score  or  more,  and 
Albert  fancied  that  he  could  see  their  hungry,  disap 
pointed  eyes.  The  spectacle  was  at  once  weird  and  lu 
dicrous.  Albert  felt  again  that  temptation  to  laugh,  but 
he  restrained  it. 

Suddenly  the  wolves,  as  if  it  were  a  preconcerted 
126 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

matter,  uttered  one  long,  simultaneous  howl,  full,  alike 
in  its  rising  and  falling  note,  of  pain,  anguish,  and  de 
spair,  then  they  were  gone  in  such  swiftness  and  silence 
that  it  was  like  the  instant  melting  of  ghosts  into  thin 
air.  It  took  a  little  effort  of  the  will  to  persuade  Albert 
that  they  had  really  been  there. 

' l  They  've  given  it  up, ' '  he  said.  * '  The  demon  danc 
ers  have  gone/' 

61  '  Demon  dancers  '  fits  them,"  said  Dick.  "  It's  a 
good  name.  Yes,  they've  gone,  and  I  don't  think  they'll 
come  back.  Wolves  are  smart,  they  know  when  they're 
wasting  time." 

When  they  finished  jerking  their  buffalo  meat  and 
venison,  Dick  took  the  fine  double-barreled  shotgun 
which  they  had  used  but  little  hitherto,  and  went  down 
to  the  lake  in  search  of  succulent  waterfowl.  The  far 
shore  of  the  lake  was  generally  very  high,  but  on  the  side 
of  the  cabin  there  were  low  places,  little  shallow  bays, 
the  bottoms  covered  with  grass,  which  were  much  fre 
quented  by  wild  geese  and  wild  ducks,  many  of  which, 
owing  to  the  open  character  of  the  winter,  had  not  yet 
gone  southward.  The  ducks,  in  particular,  muscovy, 
mallard,  teal,  widgeon,  and  other  kinds,  the  names  of 
which  Dick  did  not  know,  were  numerous.  They  had 
been  molested  so  little  that  they  were  quite  tame,  and 
it  was  so  easy  to  kill  them  in  quantities  that  the  element 
of  sport  was  entirely  lacking. 

Dick  did  not  fancy  shooting  at  a  range  of  a  dozen 
yards  or  so  into  a  dense  flock  of  wild  ducks  that  would 
not  go  away,  and  he  wished  also  to  save  as  many  as  he 
could  of  their  shot  cartridges,  for  he  had  an  idea  that 

127 


THE    LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

he  and  his  brother  would  remain  in  the  valley  a  long 
time.  But  both  he  and  Albert  wanted  good  supplies  of 
duck  and  geese,  which  were  certainly  toothsome  and 
succulent,  and  they  were  taking  a  pride,  too,  in  filling 
the  Annex  with  the  best  things  that  the  mountains  could 
afford.  Hence  Dick  did  some  deep  thinking  and  finally 
evolved  a  plan,  being  aided  in  his  thoughts  by  earlier 
experience  in  Illinois  marshes. 

He  would  trap  the  ducks  and  geese  instead  of 
shooting  them,  and  he  and  Albert  at  once  set  about  the 
task  of  making  the  trap.  This  idea  was  not  original 
with  Dick.  As  so  many  others  have  been,  he  was,  in 
part,  an  unconscious  imitator.  He  planted  in  the  shal 
low  water  a  series  of  hoops,  graded  in  height,  the  largest 
being  in  the  deepest  water,  while  they  diminished  stead 
ily  in  size  as  they  came  nearer  to  the  land.  They  made 
the  hoops  of  split  saplings,  and  planted  them  about  four 
feet  apart. 

Then  they  covered  all  these  hoops  with  a  netting,  the 
total  length  of  which  was  about  twenty-five  feet.  They 
also  faced  each  hoop  with  a  netting,  leaving  an  aperture 
large  enough  for  the  ducks  to  enter.  It  was  long  and 
tedious  work  to  make  the  netting,  as  this  was  done  by 
cutting  the  hide  of  an  elk  and  the  hide  of  a  mule  deer 
into  strips  and  plaiting  the  strips  on  the  hoops.  They 
then  had  a  network  tunnel,  at  the  smaller  end  of  which 
they  constructed  an  inclosure  five  or  six  feet  square  by 
means  of  stout  poles  which  they  thrust  into  the  mud,  and 
the  same  network  covering  which  they  used  on  the 
tunnel. 

"  It's  like  going  in  at  the  big  end  of  a  horn  and 
128 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

coming  out  at  the  little  one  into  a  cell/*  said  Albert. 
"  Will  it  work?" 

"  Work?  "  replied  Dick.  "  Of  course  it  will.  You 
just  wait  and  you'll  see/' 

Albert  looked  out  upon  the  lake,  where  many  ducks 
were  swimming  about  placidly,  and  he  raised  his  hand. 

"  Oh,  foolish  birds!  "  he  apostrophized.  "  Here  is 
your  enemy,  man,  making  before  your  very  eyes  the 
snare  that  will  lead  you  to  destruction,  and  you  go  on 
taking  no  notice,  thinking  that  the  sunshine  will  last 
forever  for  you." 

"  Shut  up,  Al,"  said  Dick,  "  you'll  make  me  feel 
sorry  for  those  ducks.  Besides,  you're  not  much  of  a 
poet,  anyway." 

When  the  trap  was  finished  they  put  around  the 
mouth  and  all  along  the  tunnel  quantities  of  the  grass 
and  herbs  that  the  ducks  seemed  to  like,  and  then  Dick 
announced  that  the  enterprise  was  finished. 

11  We  have  nothing  further  to  do  about  it,"  he  said, 
"  but  to  take  out  our  ducks." 

It  was  toward  twilight  when  they  finished  the  trap, 
and  both  had  been  in  the  cold  water  up  to  their  knees. 
Dick  had  long  since  become  hardened  to  such  things,  but 
he  looked  at  Albert  rather  anxiously.  The  younger  boy, 
however,  did  not  begin  to  cough.  He  merely  hurried 
back  to  the  fire,  took  off  his  wet  leggings,  and  toasted 
his  feet  and  legs.  Then  he  ate  voraciously  and  slept  like 
a  log  the  night  through.  But  both  he  and  Dick  went 
down  to  the  lake  the  next  morning  with  much  eagerness, 
to  see  what  the  trap  contained,  if  anything. 

It  was  a  fresh  winter  morning,  not  cold  enough  to 
129 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

freeze  the  surface  of  the  lake,  but  extremely  crisp.  The 
air  contained  the  extraordinary  exhilarating  quality 
which  Dick  had  noticed  when  they  first  came  into  the 
mountains,  but  which  he  had  never  breathed  anywhere 
else.  It  seemed  to  him  to  make  everything  sparkle,  even 
his  blood,  and  suddenly  he  leaped  up,  cracked  his  heels 
together,  and  shouted. 

11  Why,  Dick,"  exclaimed  Albert,  "  what  on  earth  is 
the  matter  with  you  ?  ' ' 

"  Nothing  is  the  matter  with  me.  Instead,  all's 
right.  I  'm  so  glad  I  'm  alive,  Al,  old  man,  that  I  wanted 
to  shout  out  the  fact  to  all  creation. ' ' 

"  Feel  that  way  myself,"  said  Albert,  "  and  since 
you've  given  such  a  good  example,  think  I'll  do  as  you 
did." 

He  leaped  up,  cracked  his  heels  together,  and  let  out 
a  yell  that  the  mountains  sent  back  in  twenty  echoes. 
Then  both  boys  laughed  with  sheer  pleasure  in  life,  the 
golden  morning,  and  their  happy  valley.  So  engrossed 
were  they  in  the  many  things  that  they  were  doing  that 
they  did  not  yet  find  time  to  miss  human  faces. 

As  they  approached  the  trap,  they  heard  a  great 
squawking  and  cackling  and  found  that  the  cell,  as 
Albert  called  the  square  inclosure,  contained  ten  ducks 
and  two  geese  swimming  about  in  a  great  state  of  trep 
idation.  They  had  come  down  the  winding  tunnel  and 
through  the  apertures  in  the  hoops,  but  they  did  not 
have  sense  enough  to  go  back  the  same  way.  Instead 
they  merely  swam  around  the  square  and  squawked. 

"  Now,  aren't  they  silly?  "  exclaimed  Albert. 
"  With  the  door  to  freedom  open,  they  won't  take  it." 

130 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

"  I  wonder/'  said  Dick  philosophically,  "  if  we  hu 
man  beings  are  not  just  the  same.  Perhaps  there  are 
easy  paths  out  of  our  troubles  lying  right  before  us  and 
superior  creatures  up  in  the  air  somewhere  are  always 
wondering  why  we  are  such  fools  that  we  don't  see 
them." 

11  Shut  up,  Dick,"  said  Albert,  "  you're  getting  too 
deep.  I've  no  doubt  that  in  our  net  are  some  ducks  that 
are  rated  as  uncommonly  intelligent  ducks  as  ducks  go. ' ' 

They  forgot  all  about  philosophy  a  few  moments  later 
when  they  began  to  dispose  of  their  capture.  They  took 
them  out,  one  by  one,  through  a  hole  that  they  made 
in  the  cell  and  cut  off  their  heads.  The  net  was  soon  full 
again,  and  they  caught  all  the  ducks  and  geese  they 
wanted  with  such  ridiculous  ease  that  at  the  end  of  a 
week  they  took  it  down  and  stored  it  in  the  cabin. 

They  jerked  the  ducks  and  geese  that  they  did  not 
need  for  immediate  use,  and  used  the  feathers  to  stuff 
beds  and  pillows  for  themselves.  The  coverings  of  these 
beds  were  furs  which  they  stitched  together  with  the 
tendons  of  the  deer. 

They  began  to  be  annoyed  about  this  time  by  the 
depredations  of  mountain  lions,  which,  attracted  by  the 
pleasant  odors,  came  down  from  the  slopes  to  the  number 
of  at  least  half  a  dozen,  Dick  surmised,  and  prowled  in 
cessantly  about  the  cabin  and  Annex,  taking  the  place 
of  the  timber  wolves,  and  proving  more  troublesome  and 
dangerous  alike.  One  of  them  managed  at  night  to 
seize  the  edge  of  an  elk  skin  that  hung  on  the  roof  of 
the  cabin,  and  the  next  morning  the  skin  was  half 
chewed  up  and  wholly  ruined. 

131 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Both  boys  were  full  of  rage,  and  they  watched  for 
the  lions,  but  failed  to  get  a  shot  at  them.  But  Dick, 
out  of  the  stores  of  his  memory,  either  some  suggestion 
from  reading,  or  trappers'  and  hunters'  tales,  devised 
a  gun  trap.  He  put  a  large  piece  of  fresh  deer  meat  in 
the  woods  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  cabin. 
It  was  gone  the  next  morning,  and  the  tracks  about 
showed  that  the  lions  had  been  present. 

Then  Dick  drove  two  stout  forked  sticks  into  the 
ground,  the  forks  being  about  a  yard  above  the  earth. 
"Upon  these  he  lashed  one  of  their  rifles.  Then  he  cut  a 
two-foot  section  of  a  very  small  sapling,  one  end  of 
which  he  inserted  carefully  between  the  ground  and  the 
trigger  of  the  rifle.  The  other  end  was  supported  upon 
a  small  fork  somewhat  higher  than  those  supporting  the 
rifle.  Then  he  procured  another  slender  but  long  sec 
tion  of  sapling  that  reached  from  the  end  of  the  short 
piece  in  the  crotch  some  distance  beyond  the  muzzle  of 
the  rifle.  The  end  beyond  the  muzzle  had  the  stub  of  a 
bough  on  it,  but  the  end  in  the  crotch  was  tied  there 
with  a  strip  of  hide.  Now,  if  anything  should  pull  on 
the  end  of  this  stick,  it  would  cause  the  shorter  stick  to 
spring  the  trigger  of  the  rifle  and  discharge  it.  Dick 
tested  everything,  saw  that  all  was  firmly  and  properly 
in  place,  and  the  next  thing  to  do  was  to  bait  the  trap. 

He  selected  a  piece  of  most  tempting  deer  meat  and 
fastened  it  tightly  on  the  hooked  end  of  the  long  stick. 
It  was  obvious  that  any  animal  pulling  at  this  bait 
would  cause  the  short  stick  tied  at  the  other  end 
of  it  to  press  against  the  trigger  of  the  rifle,  and  the 
~(fle  would  be  fired  as  certainly  as  if  the  trigger  had  been 

132 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

pulled  by  the  hand  of  man.  Moreover,  the  barrel  of  the 
'rifle  was  parallel  with  the  long  stick,  and  the  bullet 
would  certainly  be  discharged  into  the  animal  pulling  at 
the  bait. 

After  the  bait  had  been  put  on  Dick  put  the  car 
tridge  in  the  rifle.  He  was  careful  to  do  this  last,  as 
he  did  not  wish  to  take  any  chances  with  the  trap  while 
he  was  testing  it.  But  he  and  Albert  ran  a  little  wall 
of  brush  off  on  either  side  in  order  that  the  cougar,  if 
cougar  it  were,  should  be  induced  to  approach  the  muz 
zle  directly  in  front.  "When  all  the  work  was  finished, 
the  two  boys  inspected  it  critically. 

"  I  believe  that  our  timber  wolves  would  be  too  smart 
to  come  up  to  that  trap/'  said  Albert. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Dick;  "  but  the  wolf  has  a  fine  in 
tellect,  and  I've  never  heard  that  the  cougar  or  puma 
was  particularly  noted  for  brain  power.  Anyhow,  I 
know  that  traps  are  built  for  him  in  this  manner,  and 
we  shall  see  whether  it  will  work." 

' '  Are  we  going  to  hide  somewhere  near  by  and  watch 
during  the  night?  " 

"  There's  no  need  to  make  ourselves  uncomfortable. 
If  the  gun  gets  him,  it'll  get  him  whether  we  are  or  are 
not  here." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Albert.  "  Well,  I'm  willing 
enough  to  take  to  the  cabin.  These  nights  are  growing 
pretty  cold,  I  can  tell  you." 

Taking  a  last  look  at  the  gun  trap  and  assuring  them 
selves  that  it  was  all  right,  they  hurried  away  to  Castle 
Howard.  The  night  was  coming  on  much  colder  than 
any  that  they  had  yet  had,  and  both  were  glad  to  get 

133 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

inside.  Albert  stirred  the  coals  from  beneath  the  ashes, 
put  on  fresh  wood,  and  soon  they  had  a  fine  blaze.  The 
light  flickered  over  a  cabin  greatly  improved  in  appear 
ance  and  wonderfully  snug. 

The  floor,  except  directly  in  front  of  the  hearth, 
-where  sparks  and  coals  would  pop  out,  was  covered  with 
the  well-tanned  skins  of  buffalo,  elk,  mule  deer,  bear,  and 
wolf.  The  walls  also  were  thickly  hung  with  furs,  while 
their  extra  weapons,  tools,  and  clothing  hung  there  on 
hooks.  It  was  warm,  homelike,  and  showed  all  the  tokens 
of  prosperity.  Dick  looked  around  at  it  with  an  approv 
ing  eye.  It  was  not  only  a  house,  and  a  good  house  at 
that,  but  it  was  a  place  that  one  might  make  a  base  for  a 
plan  that  he  had  in  mind.  Yes,  circumstances  had  cer 
tainly  favored  them.  Their  own  courage,  skill,  and 
energy  had  done  the  rest. 

Albert  soon  fell  asleep  after  supper,  but  Dick  was 
more  wakeful,  although  he  did  not  wish  to  be  so.  It 
was  the  gun  trap  that  kept  his  eyes  open.  He  took  a 
pride  in  doing  things  well,  and  he  wanted  the  trap  to 
work  right.  A  fear  that  it  might  not  do  so  worried  him, 
but  in  turn  he  fell  into  a  sound  sleep  from  which  he  was 
awakened  by  a  report.  He  thought  at  first  that  some 
thing  had  struck  the  house,  but  when  his  confused  senses 
Were  gathered  into  a  focus  he  knew  that  it  was  a  rifle 
shot. 

"  Up,  Al,  up  !  "  he  cried,  "  I  think  a  cougar  has  been 
fooling  with  our  trap !  ' ' 

Albert  jumped  up.  They  threw  on  their  coats  and 
went  out  into  a  dark  and  bitterly  cold  night.  If  they 
had  not  been  so  eager  to  see  what  had  happened,  they 

134 


THE    TRAP   MAKERS 

would  have  fled  back  to  the  refuge  of  the  warm  cabin, 
but  they  hurried  on  toward  the  snug  little  hollow  in 
which  the  gun  trap  had  been  placed.  At  fifty  yards  they 
stopped  and  went  much  more  slowly,  as  a  terrific  growl 
ing  and  snarling  smote  their  ears. 

11  It's  the  cougar,  and  we've  got  him,"  said  Dick. 
"  He's  hit  bad  or  he  wouldn't  be  making  such  a  terrible 
fuss." 

They  approached  cautiously  and  saw  on  the  ground, 
almost  in  front  of  the  gun,  a  large  yellowish  animal 
writhing  about  and  tearing  at  the  earth.  His  snarls  and 
rage  increased  as  he  scented  the  two  boys  drawing  near. 

"  I  think  his  shoulder  is  broken  and  his  backbone 
injured,"  said  Dick.  "  That's  probably  the  reason  he 
can't  get  away.  I  don't  like  to  see  him  suffer  and  I'll 
finish  him  now." 

He  sent  a  bullet  through  the  cougar's  head  and  that 
was  the  end  of  him.  In  order  to  save  it  from  the  wolves, 
they  took  his  hide  from  him  where  he  lay,  and  spread  it 
the  next  day  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin. 

The  gun  trap  was  so  successful  that  they  baited  it 
again  and  again,  securing  three  more  cougars,  until  the 
animals  became  too  wary  to  try  for  the  bait.  The  fourth 
cougar  did  not  sustain  a  severe  wound  and  fled  up  the 
mountain  side,  but  Dick  tracked  him  by  the  trail  of 
blood  that  he  left,  overtook  him  far  up  the  slope,  and 
slew  him  with  a  single  shot.  All  these  skins  were  added 
to  their  collection,  and  when  the  last  was  spread  out  to 
dry,  Dick  spoke  of  the  plan  that  he  had  in  mind. 

11  Al,"  he  said,  "  these  mountains,  or  at  least  this 
corner  of  them,  seem  to  be  left  to  us.  The  Sioux,  I  sup- 

135 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

pose,  are  on  the  warpath  elsewhere,  and  they  don't  like 
mountains  much,  anyhow.  Our  wonderful  valley,  the 
slopes,  and  all  the  ravines  and  canyons  are  full  of  game. 
The  beaver  must  be  abundant  farther  in,  and  I  propose 
that  we  use  our  opportunity  and  turn  fur  hunters. 
There's  wealth  around  us  for  the  taking,  and  we  were 
never  sure  of  it  in  California,  We've  got  enough  amu- 
nition  to  last  us  two  years  if  we  want  to  stay  that  long. 
Besides,  Al,  old  boy,  the  valley  has  been  the  remaking 
of  you.  You  know  that/' 

Albert  laughed  from  sheer  delight. 

' '  Dick, ' '  he  said,  ' '  you  won 't  have  to  get  a  gun  and 
threaten  me  with  death  unless  I  stay.  I  '11  be  glad  to  be 
a  fur  hunter,  and,  Dick,  I  tell  you,  I  'm  in  love  with  this 
valley.  As  you  say,  it's  made  me  over  again,  and  oh, 
it's  fine  to  be  well  and  strong,  to  do  what  you  please, 
and  not  always  to  be  thinking,  '  how  can  I  stand  this? 
Will  it  hurt  me  ?  '  " 

"  Then,"  said  Dick,  "  it's  settled.  We'll  not  think 
for  a  long  time  of  getting  back  to  civilization,  but  devote 
ourselves  to  gathering  up  furs  and  skins." 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE   TIMBER   WOLVES 

THE  cold  increased,  although  snow  fell  but  little, 
which  Dick  considered  good  luck,  chiefly  on  Al 
bert's  account.  He  wanted  the  hardening  proc 
ess  to  continue  and  not  to  be  checked  by  thaws  and 
permeating  dampness.  Meanwhile,  they  plunged  with 
all  the  energy  and  fire  of  youth  into  the  task  of  fur 
hunting.  They  had  already  done  much  in  that  respect, 
but  now  it  was  undertaken  as  a  vocation.  They  became 
less  scrupulous  about  sparing  the  buffaloes,  and  they  shot 
more  than  twenty  in  the  denies  of  the  mountains,  gath 
ering  a  fine  lot  of  robes.  Several  more  skins  of  the  bear, 
grizzly,  and  silver  tip  were  added  to  their  collection,  and 
the  elk  also  furnished  an  additional  store.  Many  wolver 
ines  were  taken  in  dead  falls  and  snares,  and  their  skins 
were  added  to  the  rapidly  growing  heap. 

They  baited  the  trap  gun  once  more,  hoping  that  a 
fifth  cougar  might  prove  rash  enough  to  dare  it.  No 
cougar  came,  but  on  the  third  night  a  scornful  grizzly 
swallowed  the  deer  meat  as  a  tidbit,  and  got  a  bullet  in 
the  neck  for  his  carelessness.  In  his  rage  he  tore  the 
trap  to  pieces  and  tossed  the  rifle  to  one  side,  but,  for 
tunately,  he  did  not  injure  the  valuable  weapon,  his 

137 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

attention  turning  instantly  to  something  else.  Later  on 
the  boys  dispatched  him  as  he  lay  wounded  upon  the 
ground. 

Their  old  clothing  was  now  about  worn  out  and  it 
also  became  necessary  to  provide  garments  of  another 
kind  in  order  to  guard  against  the  great  cold.  Here 
their  furs  became  invaluable ;  they  made  moccasins,  leg 
gings,  caps,  and  coats  alike  of  them,  often  crude  in  con 
struction,  bat  always  warm. 

They  found  the  beaver  farther  in  the  mountains,  as 
Dick  had  surmised,  and  trapped  them  in  great  abun 
dance.  This  was  by  far  their  most  valuable  discovery, 
and  they  soon  had  a  pack  of  sixty  skins,  which  Dick  said 
would  be  worth  more  than  a  thousand  dollars  in  any 
good  market.  They  also  made  destructive  inroads  upon 
the  timber  wolves,  the  hides  of  which  were  more  valu 
able  than  those  of  any  other  wolf.  In  fact,  they  made 
such  havoc  that  the  shrewd  timber  wolf  deserted  the 
valley  almost  entirely. 

As  the  boys  now  made  their  fur  hunting  a  business, 
they  attended  to  every  detail  with  the  greatest  care. 
They  always  removed  the  skin  immediately  after  the 
death  of  the  animal,  or,  if  taken  in  a  trap,  as  soon  after 
as  possible.  Every  particle  of  fat  or  flesh  was  removed 
from  the  inside  of  the  skin,  and  they  were  careful  at  the 
same  time  never  to  cut  into  the  skin  itself,  as  they  knew 
that  the  piercing  of  a  fur  with  a  knife  would  injure  its 
value  greatly.  Then  the  skin  was  put  to  dry  in  a  cold, 
airy  place,  free  alike  from  the  rays  of  the  sun  or  the 
heat  of  a  fire.  They  built  near  the  cabin  a  high  scaffold 
for  such  purposes,  too  high  and  strong  for  any  wild 

138 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

beast  to  tear  down  or  to  reach  the  furs  upon  it.  Then 
they  built  above  this  on  additional  poles  a  strongly 
thatched  bark  roof  that  would  protect  the  skins  from 
rain,  and  there  they  cured  them  in  security. 

"  I've  heard/ '  said  Dick,  "  that  some  trappers  put 
preparations  or  compounds  on  the  skins  in  order  to  cure 
them,  but  since  we  don't  have  any  preparations  or  com 
pounds  we  won't  use  them.  Besides,  our  furs  seem  to 
cure  up  well  enough  without  them." 

Dick  was  right.  The  cold,  dry  air  of  the  mountains 
cured  them  admirably.  Two  or  three  times  they  thought 
to  help  along  the  process  by  rubbing  salt  upon  the  inner 
sides.  They  could  always  get  plenty  of  salt  by  boiling 
out  water  from  the  salt  springs,  but  as  they  seemed  to 
do  as  well  without  it,  they  ceased  to  take  the  trouble. 

The  boys  were  so  absorbed  now  in  their  interesting 
and  profitable  tasks  that  they  lost  all  count  of  the  days. 
They  knew  they  were  far  advanced  into  a  splendid  open 
winter,  but  it  is  probable  that  they  could  not  have 
guessed  within  a  week  of  the  exact  day.  However,  that 
was  a  question  of  which  they  thought  little.  Albert's 
health  and  strength  continued  to  improve,  and  with  the 
mental  stimulus  added  to  the  physical,  the  tide  of  life 
was  flowing  very  high  for  both. 

They  now  undertook  a  new  work  in  order  to  facili 
tate  their  trapping  operations.  The  beaver  stream,  and 
another  that  they  found  a  little  later,  ran  far  back  into 
the  mountains,  and  the  best  trapping  place  was  about 
ten  miles  away.  After  a  day's  work  around  the  beaver 
pond,  they  had  to  choose  between  a  long  journey  in  the 
night  to  the  cabin  or  sleeping  in  the  open,  the  latter  not 

139 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

a  pleasant  thing  since  the  nights  had  become  so  cold. 
Hence,  they  began  the  erection  of  a  bark  shanty  in  a 
well-sheltered  cove  near  the  most  important  of  the  beaver 
localities.  This  was  a  work  of  much  labor,  but,  as  in  all 
other  cases,  they  persisted  until  the  result  was  achieved 
triumphantly. 

They  drove  two  stout,  forked  poles  deep  into  the 
ground,  leaving  a  projection  of  about  eight  feet  above 
the  earth.  The  poles  themselves  were  about  eight  feet 
apart.  From  fork  to  fork  they  placed  a  strong  ridge 
pole.  Then  they  rested  against  the  ridgepole  from 
either  side  other  and  smaller  poles  at  an  angle  of  forty 
or  fifty  degrees.  The  sloping  poles  were  about  a  foot 
and  a  half  apart.  These  poles  were  like  the  scantling 
or  inside  framework  of  a  wooden  house  and  they  covered 
it  all  with  spruce  and  birch  bark,  beginning  at  the  bot 
tom  and  allowing  each  piece  to  overlap  the  one  beneath 
it,  after  the  fashion  of  a  shingled  roof.  They  secured 
these  pieces  partly  with  wooden  pegs  and  partly  with 
other  and  heavier  wooden  poles  leaned  against  them. 
One  end  of  the  shelter  was  closed  up  with  bark  wholly, 
secured  with  wooden  pegs,  and  the  other  end  was  left 
open  in  order  that  its  tenants  might  face  the  fire  which 
would  be  built  three  or  four  feet  in  front  of  it.  They 
packed  the  floor  with  dead  leaves,  and  put  on  the  top 
of  the  leaves  a  layer  of  thick  bark  with  the  smooth  side 
upward. 

The  bark  shanty  was  within  a  clump  of  trees,  and  its 
open  side  was  not  fifteen  feet  from  the  face  of  an  abrupt 
cliff.  Hence  there  was  never  any  wind  to  drive  the 
smoke  from  the  fire  back  into  their  faces,  and,  wrapped 

140 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

in  their  furs,  they  slept  as  snugly  in  the  shanty  as  if 
they  had  been  in  the  cabin  itself.  But  they  were  too 
wise  to  leave  anything  there  in  their  absence,  knowing 
that  it  was  not  sufficient  protection  against  the  larger 
wild  animals.  In  fact,  a  big  grizzly,  one  night  when  they 
were  at  the  cabin,  thrust  his  nose  into  the  shanty  and, 
lumbering  about  in  an  awkward  and  perhaps  frightened 
manner,  knocked  off  half  of  one  of  the  bark  sides.  It 
took  nearly  a  day's  work  to  repair  the  damage,  and  it 
put  Dick  in  an  ill  humor. 

"  I  'd  like  to  get  a  shot  at  that  bear !  ' '  he  exclaimed. 
"  He  had  no  business  trying  to  come  into  a  house  when 
he  was  not  invited." 

"  But  he  is  an  older  settler  than  we  are/'  said  Al 
bert,  in  a  whimsical  tone. 

Dick  did  get  a  shot  at  a  bear  a  few  days  later,  and 
it  was  a  grizzly,  at  that.  The  wound  was  not  fatal,  and 
the  animal  came  on  with  great  courage  and  ferocity.  A 
second  shot  from  Dick  did  not  stop  him  and  the  boy 
was  in  great  danger.  But  Albert,  who  was  near,  sent 
two  heavy  bullets,  one  after  the  other,  into  the  beast, 
and  he  toppled  over,  dying.  It  was  characteristic  of  the 
hardy  life  they  were  leading  and  its  tendency  toward 
the  repression  of  words  and  emotion  that  Dick  merely 
uttered  a  brief,  "  Thanks,  Al,  you  were  just  in  time," 
and  Albert  nodded  in  reply. 

The  skin  of  old  Ephraim  went  to  join  that  of  his 
brother  who  had  been  taken  sometime  before,  and  Dick 
himself  shot  a  little  later  a  third,  which  contributed  a 
fine  skin. 

The  boys  did  not  know  how  hard  they  were  really 
141 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

working,  but  their  appetites  would  have  been  a  fine 
gauge.  Toiling  incessantly  in  a  crisp,  cold  air,  as  pure 
as  any  that  the  world  affords,  they  were  nearly  always 
hungry.  Fortunately,  the  happy  valley,  their  own  skill 
and  courage,  and  the  supplies  that  Dick  had  brought 
from  the  last  wagon  train  furnished  them  an  unlimited 
larder.  Game  of  great  variety  was  their  staple,  but 
they  had  both  flour  and  meal,  from  which,  though  they 
were  sparing  of  their  use,  they  made  cakes  now  and  then. 
They  had  several  ways  of  preparing  the  Indian  meal 
that  Dick  had  taken  from  the  wagon.  They  would  boil 
it  for  about  an  hour,  then,  after  it  cooled,  would  mix  it 
with  the  fat  of  game  and  fry  it,  after  which  the  com 
pound  was  eaten  in  slices.  They  also  made  mealcakes, 
johnny  cakes,  and  hoecakes. 

Albert  was  fond  of  fish,  especially  of  the  fine  trout 
that  they  caught  in  the  little  river,  and  soon  he  invented 
or  discovered  a  way  of  cooking  them  that  provided  an 
uncommon  delicacy  for  their  table.  He  would  slit  the 
trout  open,  clean  it,  and  then  season  it  with  salt  and  also 
with  pepper,  which  they  had  among  their  stores.  Then 
he  would  lay  the  fish  in  the  hot  ashes  of  a  fire  that 
had  burned  down  to  embers,  cover  it  up  thoroughly  with 
the  hot  ashes  and  embers,  and  let  it  cook  thirty  or 
forty  minutes — thirty  minutes  for  the  little  fellows  and 
forty  minutes  for  the  big  ones.  When  he  thought  the 
fish  was  done  to  the  proper  turn,  he  would  take  it  from 
the  ashes,  clean  it,  and  then  remove  the  skin,  which 
flrould  almost  peel  off  of  its  own  accord. 

The  fish  was  then  ready  for  the  eating,  and  neither 
Oiek  nor  Albert  could  ever  bear  to  wait.  The  flesh 

142 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

looked  so  tempting  and  the  odor  was  so  savory  that 
hunger  instantly  became  acute. 

"  They  are  so  good,"  said  Albert,  "  because  my 
method  of  cooking  preserves  all  the  juices  and  flavors  of 
the  fish.  Nothing  escapes. ' ' 

"  Thanks,  professor,"  said  Dick.  "  You  must  be 
right,  so  kindly  pass  me  another  of  those  trout,  and  be 
quick  about  it." 

It  is  a  truth  that  both  boys  became  epicures.  Their 
valley  furnished  so  much,  and  they  had  a  seasoning  of 
hard  work  and  open  mountain  air  that  was  beyond  com 
pare.  They  even  imitated  Indian  and  trapper  ways  of 
cooking  geese,  ducks,  quail,  sage  hens,  and  other  wild 
fowl  that  the  region  afforded.  They  could  cook  these  in 
the  ashes  as  they  did  the  trout,  and  they  also  had  other 
methods.  Albert  would  take  a  duck,  cut  it  open  and 
clean  it,  but  leave  the  feathers  on.  Then  he  would  put 
it  in  water,  until  the  feathers  were  soaked  thoroughly, 
after  which  he  would  cover  it  up  with  ashes,  and  put 
hot  coals  on  top  of  the  ashes.  "When  the  bird  was  prop 
erly  cooked  and  drawn  from  the  ashes,  the  skin  could  be 
pulled  off  easily,  taking  the  feathers,  of  course,  with  it. 
Then  a  duck,  sweet,  tender,  and  delicate,  such  as  no  res 
taurant  could  furnish,  was  ready  for  the  hardy  young 
sters.  At  rare  intervals  they  improved  on  this  by  stuff 
ing  the  duck  with  seasoning  and  Indian  meal.  Now  and 
then  they  served  a  fat  goose  the  same  way  and  found  it 
equally  good. 

They  cooked  the  smaller  birds  in  a  simpler  manner, 
especially  when  they  were  at  the  bark  shanty,  which, 
they  nicknamed  the  "  Suburban  Villa."  The  bird  was 

143 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

plucked  of  its  feathers,  drawn  and  washed,  and  then 
they  cut  it  down  the  back  in  order  to  spread  it  out. 
Nothing  was  left  but  to  put  the  bird  on  the  end  of  a 
sharp  stick,  hold  it  over  the  coals,  and  turn  it  around 
until  it  was  thoroughly  broiled  or  roasted.  They  also 
roasted  slices  of  big  game  in  the  same  way. 

As  Albert  was  cooking  a  partridge  in  this  manner 
one  evening  at  the  Suburban  Villa,  Dick,  who  was  sit 
ting  on  his  buffalo-robe  blanket  in  the  doorway,  watched 
him  and  began  to  make  comparisons.  He  recalled  the 
boy  who  had  left  Omaha  with  the  wagon  train  six  or 
eight  months  before,  a  thin,  spiritless  fellow  with  a 
slender,  weak  neck,  hollow,  white  cheeks,  pale  lips,  and 
listless  eyes.  That  boy  drew  coughs  incessantly  from  a 
hollow  chest,  and  the  backs  of  his  hands  were  ridged 
where  the  flesh  had  gone  away,  leaving  the  bones  stand 
ing  up.  This  boy  whom  Dick  contemplated  was  quite 
a  different  being.  His  face  was  no  longer  white,  it  was 
instead  a  mixture  of  red  and  brown,  and  both  tints  were 
vivid.  Across  one  cheek  were  some  brier  scratches 
which  he  had  acquired  the  day  before,  but  which  he  had 
never  noticed.  The  red-brown  cheeks  were  filled  out  with 
the  effects  of  large  quantities  of  good  food  digested  well. 
As  he  bent  over  the  fire,  a  chest  of  good  width  seemed 
to  puff  out  with  muscle  and  wind  expansion.  Despite 
the  extreme  cold,  his  sleeves  were  rolled  up  to  the  elbow, 
and  the  red  wrists  and  hands  were  well  covered  with 
tough,  seasoned  flesh.  The  eyes  that  watched  the  roast 
ing  bird  were  intent,  alert,  keenly  interested  in  that  par 
ticular  task,  and,  in  due  course,  in  any  other  that  might 
present  itself. 

144 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

Dick  drew  a  long  breath  of  satisfaction.  Providence 
had  treated  them  well.  Then  he  called  loudly  for  his 
share  of  the  bird,  saying  that  he  was  starving,  and  in 
a  few  moments  both  fell  to  work. 

Their  fur  operations  continued  to  extend.  They  had 
really  found  a  pocket,  an  isolated  corner  in  the  high 
Rockies  where  the  fur-bearing  animals,  not  only  abun 
dant,  were  also  increasing.  It  was,  too,  the  dead  of  win 
ter,  the  very  best  time  for  trapping,  and  so,  as  far  as 
their  own  goings  and  comings  were  concerned,  they  were 
favored  further  by  the  lucky  and  unusual  absence  of 
snow.  They  increased  the  number  of  their  traps— dead 
falls,  box  traps,  snares,  and  other  kinds,  and  most  of 
them  were  successful. 

They  knew  instinctively  the  quality  of  the  furs  that 
they  obtained.  They  could  tell  at  a  glance  whether  they 
were  prime,  that  is,  thick  and  full,  and  as  they  cured 
them  and  baled  them,  they  classified  them. 

Constant  application  bred  new  ideas.  In  their  pur 
suit  of  furs,  they  found  that  they  were  not  quite  so  spar 
ing  of  the  game  as  they  had  been  at  first.  Some  of  their 
scruples  melted  away.  Albert  now  recalled  a  device 
of  trappers  of  which  he  had  read.  This  was  the  use  of 
the  substance  generally  called  barkstone,  which  they 
found  to  be  of  great  help  to  them  in  the  capture  of 
that  animal. 

The  barkstone  or  castoreum,  as  it  is  commercially 
known,  was  obtained  principally  from  the  beaver  him 
self.  The  basis  of  it  was  an  acrid  secretion  with  a 
musky  odor  of  great  power,  found  in  two  glands  just 
under  the  root  of  the  beaver's  tail.  Each  gland  was 

145 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

from  one  and  one  half  to  two  inches  in  length.  The 
boys  cut  out  these  glands  and  squeezed  the  contents  into 
an  empty  tin  can.  This  at  first  was  of  a  yellowish-red 
color,  but  after  a  while,  when  it  dried,  it  became  a  light 
brown. 

This  substance  formed  the  main  ingredient  of  bark- 
stone,  and  in  their  medicine  chest  they  found  a  part  of 
the  remainder.  The  secretion  was  transferred  to  a  bot 
tle  and  they  mixed  with  it  essence  of  peppermint  and 
ground  cinnamon.  As  Albert  remembered  it,  ground 
nutmeg  also  was  needed,  but  as  they  had  no  nutmeg  they 
were  compelled  to  take  their  chances  without  it.  Then 
they  poured  whisky  on  the  compound  until  it  looked  like 
a  paste. 

Then  the  bottle  was  stopped  up  with  the  greatest 
care,  and  in  about  a  week,  when  they  stole  a  sniff  or  two 
at  it,  they  found  that  the  odor  had  increased  ten  or 
a  dozen  times  in  power. 

They  put  eight  or  ten  drops  of  the  barkstone  upon 
the  bait  for  the  beaver,  or  somewhere  near  the  trap,  and, 
despite  some  defects  in  the  composition,  it  proved  an 
extraordinary  success.  The  wariest  beaver  of  all  would 
be  drawn  by  it,  and  their  beaver  bales  grew  faster  than 
any  other. 

Dick  calculated  one  day  that  they  had  at  least  five 
thousand  dollars  worth  of  furs,  which  seemed  a  great 
sum  to  both  boys.  It  certainly  meant,  at  that  time  and 
in  that  region,  a  competence,  and  it  could  be  increased 
greatly. 

11  Of  course, "  said  Dick,  "  well  have  to  think  some 
day  of  the  way  in  which  we  must  get  these  furs  out,  and 

146 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

for  that  we  will  need  horses  or  mules,  but  we  won't 
bother  our  heads  about  it  yet. ' ' 

After  the  long  period  of  clear,  open  weather,  the 
delayed  snow  came.  It  began  to  fall  one  evening  at  twi 
light,  when  both  boys  were  snug  in  the  cabin,  and  it  came 
in  a  very  gentle,  soothing  way,  as  if  it  meant  no  harm 
whatever.  Big,  soft  flakes  fell  as  softly  as  the  touch  of 
down,  but  every  time  the  boys  looked  out  they  were 
still  coming  in  the  same  gentle  but  persistent  way.  The 
next  morning  the  big  flakes  still  came  down  and  all  that 
day  and  all  the  next  night.  When  the  snow  stopped  it 
lay  five  feet  deep  on  the  level,  and  uncounted  feet  deep 
in  the  gullies  and  canyons. 

"  We're  snowed  in,"  said  Albert  in  some  dismay, 
"  and  we  can't  go  to  our  traps.  Why,  this  is  likely  to 
last  a  month !  ' ' 

' '  We  can 't  walk  through  it, ' '  said  Dick  meditatively, 
"  but  we  can  walk  on  it.  We've  got  to  make  snowshoes. 
They're  what  we  need." 

"  Good!  "  said  Albert  with  enthusiasm.  "  Let's  get 
to  work  at  once. ' ' 

Deep  snows  fall  in  Illinois,  and  both,  in  their  earlier 
boyhood,  had  experimented  for  the  sake  of  sport  with  a 
crude  form  of  snowshoe.  Now  they  were  to  build  upon 
this  slender  knowledge,  for  the  sake  of  an  immediate 
necessity,  and  it  was  the  hardest  task  that  they  had  yet 
set  for  themselves.  Nevertheless,  it  was  achieved,  like 
the  others. 

They  made  a  framework  of  elastic  strips  of  ash  bent 
in  the  well-known  shape  of  the  snowshoe,  which  bears 
Some  resemblance  to  the  shape  of  the  ordinary  shoe,  only 

147 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

many  times  larger  and  sharply  pointed  at  the  rear  end. 
Its  length  was  between  five  and  six  feet,  and  the  ends 
were  tightly  wound  with  strips  of  hide.  This  frame  was 
bent  into  the  shoe  shape  after  it  had  been  soaked  in 
boiling  water. 

Then  they  put  two  very  strong  strips  of  hide  across 
the  front  part  of  the  framework,  and  in  addition  passed 
at  least  a  half  dozen  stout  bands  of  hide  from  strip  to 
strip. 

Then  came  the  hard  task  of  attaching  the  shoe  to 
the  foot  of  the  boy  who  was  to  wear  it.  The  ball  of  the 
foot  was  set  on  the  second  crosspiece  and  the  foot  was 
then  tied  there  with  a  broad  strip  of  hide  which  passed 
over  the  instep  and  was  secured  behind  the  ankle.  It 
required  a  good  deal  of  practice  to  fasten  the  foot  so  it 
would  not  slip  up  and  down,  and  also  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  weight  of  the  shoe  would  be  proportioned  to  it 
properly. 

They  had  to  exercise  infinite  patience  before  two 
pairs  of  snowshoes  were  finished.  There  was  much  hunt 
ing  in  deep  snow  for  proper  wood,  many  strips  and 
some  good  hide  were  spoiled,  but  the  shoes  were  made 
and  then  another  task  equally  as  great  confronted  the 
two  boys— to  learn  how  to  use  them. 

Each  boy  put  on  his  pair  at  the  same  time  and  went 
forth  on  the  snow,  which  was  now  packed  and  hard. 
Albert  promptly  caught  one  of  his  shoes  on  the  other, 
toppled  over,  and  went  down  through  the  crust  of  the 
snow,  head  first.  Dick,  althovgh  in  an  extremely  awk 
ward  situation  himself,  managed  to  pull  his  brother  out 
and  put  him  in  the  proper  position,  with  his  head  point- 

148 


THE    TIMBER    WOLVES 

ing  toward  the  sky  instead  of  the  earth.  Albert  brushed 
the  snow  out  of  his  eyes  and  ears,  and  laughed. 

"  Good  start,  bad  ending,"  he  said.  "  This  is  cer 
tainly  the  biggest  pair  of  shoes  that  I  ever  had  on,  Dick. 
They  feel  at  least  a  mile  long  to  me." 

"  I  know  that  mine  are  a  mile  long,"  said  Dick,  as 
he,  too,  brought  the  toe  of  one  shoe  down  upon  the  heel 
of  the  other,  staggered,  fell  over  sideways,  but  managed 
to  right  himself  in  time. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Albert,  "  that  the  proper 
thing  to  do  is  to  step  very  high  and  very  far,  so  you 
won't  tangle  up  one  shoe  with  the  other." 

"  That  seems  reasonable,"  said  Dick,  "  and  we'll 
try  it." 

They  practiced  this  step  for  an  hour,  making  their 
ankles  ache  badly.  After  a  good  rest  they  tried  it  for 
another  hour,  and  then  they  began  to  make  progress. 
They  found  that  they  got  along  over  the  snow  at  a  fair 
rate  of  speed,  although  it  remained  an  awkward  and 
tiring  gait.  Nevertheless,  one  could  travel  an  indefi 
nite  distance,  when  it  was  impossible  to  break  one 's  way 
far  through  five  or  six  feet  of  packed  snow,  and  the 
shoes  met  a  need. 

"  They'll  do,"  said  Albert;  "  but  it  will  never  be 
like  walking  on  the  solid  earth  in  common  shoes." 

Albert  was  right.  Their  chief  use  for  these  objects, 
so  laboriously  constructed,  was  for  the  purpose  of  visit 
ing  their  traps,  some  of  which  were  set  at  least  a  dozen 
miles  away.  They  wished  also  to  go  back  to  the  shanty 
and  see  that  it  was  all  right.  They  found  a  number  of 
valuable  furs  in  the  traps,  but  the  bark  shanty  had  been 

149 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

almost  crushed  in  by  the  weight  of  snow,  and  they  spent 
sometime  strengthening  and  repairing  it. 

In  the  course  of  these  excursions  their  skill  with  the 
snowshoes  increased  and  they  were  also  able  to  improve 
upon  the  construction,  correcting  little  errors  in  meas 
urement  and  balance.  The  snow  showed  no  signs  of 
melting,  but  they  made  good  progress,  nevertheless,  with 
their  trapping,  and  all  the  furs  taken  were  of  the  highest 
quality. 

It  would  have  been  easy  for  them  to  kill  enough  game 
to  feed  a  small  army,  as  the  valley  now  fairly  swarmed 
with  it,  although  nearly  all  of  it  was  of  large  species, 
chiefly  buffalo,  elk,  and  bear.  There  was  one  immense 
herd  of  elk  congregated  in  a  great  sheltered  space  at 
the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  where  they  fed  chiefly 
upon  twigs  and  lichens. 

Hanging  always  upon  the  flanks  of  this  herd  was  a 
band  of  timber  wolves  of  great  size  and  ferocity,  which 
never  neglected  an  opportunity  to  pull  down  a  cripple 
or  a  stray  yearling. 

"  I  thought  we  had  killed  off  all  these  timber 
wolves/'  said  Albert  when  he  first  caught  sight  of  the 
band. 

"  "We  did  kill  off  most  of  those  that  were  here  when 
we  came,"  said  Dick,  "  but  others,  I  suppose,  have  fol 
lowed  the  game  from  the  mountains  into  the  valley. ' ' 

Albert  went  alone  a  few  days  later  to  one  of  their 
traps  up  the  valley,  walking  at  a  good  pace  on  his  snow- 
shoes.  A  small  colony  of  beavers  had  been  discovered 
on  a  stream  that  came  down  between  two  high  cliffs,  and 
the  trap  contained  a  beaver  of  unusually  fine  fur.  Al- 

150 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

bert  removed  the  skin,  put  it  on  his  shoulder,  and, 
tightening  his  snowshoes,  started  back  to  Castle  Howard. 

The  snow  had  melted  a  little  recently,  and  in  many 
places  among  the  trees  it  was  not  deep,  but  Albert  and 
Dick  had  made  it  a  point  to  wear  their  snowshoes  when- 
2ver  they  could,  for  the  sake  of  the  skill  resulting  from 
practice. 

Albert  was  in  a  very  happy  frame  of  mind.  He 
felt  always  now  a  physical  elation,  which,  of  course,  be 
came  mental  also.  It  is  likely,  too,  that  the  rebound 
from  long  and  despairing  ill  health  still  made  itself 
felt.  None  so  well  as  those  who  have  been  ill  and  are 
cured!  He  drew  great  draughts  of  the  frosty  air  into 
his  strong,  sound  lungs,  and  then  emitted  it  slowly  and 
with  ease.  It  was  a  fine  mechanism,  complex,  but  work 
ing  beautifully.  Moreover,  he  had  an  uncommonly  large 
and  rich  beaver  fur  over  his  shoulder.  Such  a  skin  as 
that  would  bring  twenty-five  dollars  in  any  decent 
market. 

Albert  kept  to  the  deep  snow  on  account  of  his  shoes, 
and  was  making  pretty  good  time,  when  he  heard  a  long 
howl,  varied  by  a  kind  of  snappy,  growling  bark. 

"  One  of  those  timber  wolves/'  said  Albert  to  him 
self,  * '  and  he  has  scented  the  blood  of  the  beaver. ' ' 

He  thought  no  more  about  the  wolf  until  two  or  three 
minutes  later  when  he  heard  another  howl  and  then 
two  or  three  more.  Moreover,  they  were  much  nearer. 

"  Now,  I  wonder  what  they're  after?  "  thought 
Albert. 

But  he  went  on,  maintaining  his  good  pace,  and  then 
he  heard  behind  him  a  cry  that  was  a  long,  ferocious 

151 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

whine  rather  than  a  howl.  Albert  looked  back  and  saw 
under  the  trees,  where  the  snow  was  lighter,  a  dozen 
leaping  forms.  He  recognized  at  once  the  old  pests, 
the  timber  wolves. 

"  Now,  I  wonder  what  they're  after?  "  he  repeated, 
and  then  as  the  whole  pack  suddenly  gave  tongue  in  a 
fierce,  murderous  howl,  he  saw  that  it  was  himself.  Al 
bert,  armed  though  he  was — neither  boy  ever  went  forth 
without  gun  or  revolver — felt  the  blood  grow  cold  in 
every  vein.  These  were  not  the  common  wolves  of  the 
prairie,  nor  yet  the  ordinary  wolf  of  the  East  and  Mid 
dle  West,  but  the  great  timber  wolf  of  the  Northwest, 
the  largest  and  fiercest  of  the  dog  tribe.  He  had  grown 
used  to  the  presence  of  timber  wolves  hovering  some 
where  near,  but  now  they  presented  themselves  in  a  new 
aspect,  bearing  down  straight  upon  him,  and  pushed  by 
hunger.  He  understood  why  they  were  about  to  attack 
him.  They  had  been  able  to  secure  but  little  of  the  large 
game  in  the  valley,  and  they  were  drawn  on  by  star 
vation. 

He  looked  again  and  looked  fearfully.  They  seemed 
to  him  monstrous  in  size  for  wolves,  and  their  long,  yel 
lowish-gray  bodies  were  instinct  with  power.  Teeth  and 
eyes  alike  were  gleaming.  Albert  scarcely  knew  what  to 
do  first.  Should  he  run,  taking  to  the  deepest  snow, 
where  the  wolves  might  sink  to  their  bodies  and  thus 
fail  to  overtake  him?  But  in  his  own  haste  he  might 
trip  himself  with  the  long,  ungainly  snowshoes,  and  then 
everything  would  quickly  be  over.  Yet  it  must  be  tried. 
He  could  see  no  other  way. 

Albert,  almost  unconsciously  prayed  for  coolness  and 
152 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

judgment,  and  it  was  well  for  him  that  his  life  in  recent 
months  had  taught  him  hardihood  and  resource.  He 
turned  at  once  into  the  open  space,  away  from  the  trees, 
where  the  snow  lay  several  feet  deep,  and  he  took  long, 
flying  leaps  on  his  snowshoes.  Behind  him  came  the 
pack  of  great,  fierce  brutes,  snapping  and  snarling,  howl 
ing  and  whining,  a  horrible  chorus  that  made  shivers 
chase  one  another  up  and  down  the  boy's  spine.  But 
as  he  had  reckoned,  the  deep  snow  made  them  flounder, 
and  checked  their  speed. 

Before  him  the  open  ground  and  the  deep  snow 
stretched  straight  away  beside  the  lake  until  it  reached 
the  opening  between  the  mountains  in  which  stood  Castle 
Howard.  As  Albert  saw  the  good  track  lie  before  him, 
his  hopes  rose,  but  presently,  when  he  looked  back  again, 
they  fell  with  cruel  speed.  The  wolves,  despite  the 
depth  of  the  snow,  had  gained  upon  him.  Sometimes, 
perhaps,  it  proved  hard  enough  to  sustain  the  weight  of 
their  bodies,  and  then  they  more  than  made  up  lost 
ground. 

Albert  noted  a  wolf  which  he  took  at  once  to  be  the 
leader,  not  only  because  he  led  all  the  others,  but  because 
also  of  his  monstrous  size.  Even  in  that  moment  of 
danger  he  wondered  that  a  wolf  could  grow  so  large, 
and  that  he  should  have  such  long  teeth.  But  the  boy, 
despite  his  great  danger,  retained  his  presence  of  mind. 
If  the  wolves  were  gaining,  then  he  must  inflict  a  check 
upon  them.  He  whirled  about,  steadied  himself  a  mo 
ment  on  his  snowshoes,  and  fired  directly  at  the  huge 
leader.  The  wolf  had  swung  aside  when  he  saw  the 
barrel  of  the  rifle  raised,  but  the  bullet  struck  down 

153 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

another  just  behind  him.  Instantly,  some  of  the  rest  fell 
upon  the  wounded  brute  and  began  to  devour  him, 
while  the  remainder,  after  a  little  hesitation,  continued 
to  pursue  Albert. 

But  the  boy  had  gained,  and  he  felt  that  the  repeat 
ing  rifle  would  be  for  a  while  like  a  circle  of  steel  to  him. 
He  could  hold  them  back  for  a  time  with  bullet  after 
bullet,  although  it  would  not  suffice  to  stop  the  final  rush 
when  it  came,  if  it  came. 

Albert  looked  longingly  ahead.  He  saw  a  feather 
of  blue  smoke  against  the  dazzling  white  and  silver  of 
the  sky,  and  he  knew  that  it  came  from  their  cabin.  If 
he  were  only  there  behind  those  stout  log  walls!  A 
hundred  wolves,  bigger  than  the  big  leader,  might  tear 
at  them  in  vain !  And  perhaps  Dick,  too,  would  come ! 
He  felt  that  the  two  together  would  have  little  to  fear. 

The  wolves  set  up  their  fierce,  whining  howl  again, 
and  once  more  it  showed  that  they  had  gained  upon  the 
fleeing  boy.  He  turned  and  fired  once,  twice,  three 
times,  four  times,  as  fast  as  he  could  pull  the  trigger, 
directly  into  the  mass  of  the  pack.  He  could  not  tell 
what  he  had  slain  and  what  he  had  wounded,  but  there 
was  a  hideous  snapping  and  snarling,  and  the  sight  of 
wolf  teeth  flashing  into  wolf  flesh. 

Albert  ran  on  and  that  feather  of  blue  smoke  was 
larger  and  nearer.  But  was  it  near  enough  f  He  could 
hear  the  wolves  behind  him  again.  All  these  diversions 
were  only  temporary.  No  matter  how  many  of  their 
number  were  slain  or  wounded,  no  matter  how  many 
paused  to  devour  the  dead  and  hurt,  enough  were  always 
left  to  follow  him.  The  pursuit,  too,  had  brought  reen- 

154 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

forcements  from  the  lurking  coverts  of  the  woods  and 
bushes. 

Albert  saw  that  none  of  his  bullets  had  struck  the 
leader.  The  yellowish-gray  monster  still  hung  close 
upon  him,  and  he  was  to  Albert  like  a  demon  wolf,  one 
that  could  not  be  slain.  He  would  try  again.  He 
wheeled  and  fired.  The  leader,  as  before,  swerved  to 
one  side  and  a  less  fortunate  wolf  behind  him  received 
the  bullet.  Albert  fired  two  more  bullets,  and  then  he 
turned  to  continue  his  flight.  But  the  long  run,  the 
excitement,  and  his  weakened  nerves  caused  the  fatal 
misstep.  The  toe  of  one  snowshoe  caught  on  the  heel 
of  the  other,  and  as  a  shout  pierced  the  air,  he  went 
down. 

The  huge  gray  leader  leaped  at  the  fallen  boy,  and 
as  his  body  paused  a  fleeting  moment  in  midair  before 
it  began  the  descent,  a  rifle  cracked,  a  bullet  struck  him 
in  the  throat,  cutting  the  jugular  vein  and  coming  out 
behind.  His  body  fell  lifeless  on  the  snow,  and  he  who 
had  fired  the  shot  came  on  swiftly,  shouting  and  firing 
again. 

It  was  well  that  Dick,  sometime  after  Albert's  de 
parture,  had  concluded  to  go  forth  for  a  little  hunt,  and 
it  was  well  also  that  in  addition  to  his  rifle  he  had  taken 
the  double-barreled  shotgun  thinking  that  he  might  find 
some  winter  wild  fowl  flying  over  the  snow  and  ice-cov 
ered  surface  of  the  lake.  His  first  shot  slew  the  master 
wolf,  his  second  struck  down  another,  his  third  was  as 
fortunate,  his  fourth  likewise,  and  then,  still  running 
forward,  he  bethought  himself  of  the  shotgun  that  was 
strapped  over  his  shoulder.  He  leveled  it  in  an  instant 

155 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  fairly  sprayed  the  pack  of  wolves  with  stinging 
shot.  Before  that  it  had  been  each  bullet  for  a  wolf  and 
the  rest  untouched,  but  now  there  was  a  perfect  shower 
of  those  hot  little  pellets.  It  was  more  than  they  could 
stand,  big,  fierce,  and  hungry  timber  wolves  though  they 
were.  They  turned  and  fled  with  beaten  howls  into  the 
woods. 

Albert  was  painfully  righting  himself,  when  Dick 
gave  him  his  hand  and  sped  the  task.  Albert  had  thought 
himself  lost,  and  it  was  yet  hard  to  realize  that  he  had 
not  disappeared  down  the  throat  of  the  master  wolf. 
His  nerves  were  overtaxed,  and  he  was  near  collapse. 

"  Thank  you,  Dick,  old  boy,"  he  said.  "  If  you 
hadn  't  come  when  you  did,  I  shouldn  't  be  here. ' ' 

' '  No,  you  wouldn  't, ' '  replied  Dick  grimly.  ' '  Those 
wolves  eat  fast.  But  look,  Al,  what  a  monster  this  fel 
low  is !  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  wolf  ?  ' ' 

The  great  leader  lay  on  his  side  upon  the  snow,  and 
a  full  seven  feet  he  stretched  from  the  tip  of  his  nose 
to  the  root  of  his  stumpy  tail.  No  such  wolf  as  he  had 
ever  been  put  inside  a  cage,  and  it  was  rare,  indeed,  to 
find  one  so  large,  even  in  the  mountains  south  of  the 
very  Far  North. 

"  That's  a  skin  that  will  be  worth  something,"  said 
Dick, ' '  and  here  are  more,  but  before  we  begin  the  work 
of  taking  them  off,  you  11  hava  to  be  braced  up,  Al. 
You  need  a  stimulant." 

He  hurried  back  to  Castle  Howard  and  brought  one 
of  the  bottles  of  whisky,  a  little  store  that  they  had  never 
touched  except  in  the  compounding  of  the  barkstone  for 
the  capture  of  beaver.  He  gave  Albert  a  good  stiff 

156 


THE    TIMBER   WOLVES 

drink  of  it,  after  which  the  boy  felt  better,  well  enough, 
in  fact,  to  help  Dick  skin  the  monster  wolf. 

"  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  do  this/'  said  Albert,  as 
he  wielded  the  knife.  "  You  thought,  Mr.  Wolf,  that 
I  was  going  to  adorn  your  inside ;  instead,  your  outside 
will  be  used  as  an  adornment  trodden  on  by  the  foot  of 
my  kind." 

They  secured  four  other  fine  and  unimpaired  skins 
among  the  slain,  and  after  dressing  and  curing,  they 
\rer«>  sent  to  join  the  stores  in  the  Annex. 


CHAPTER   X 

DICK  GOES  SCOUTING 

DICK  did  not  believe  that  the  timber  wolves,  aftef 
suffering  so  much  in  the  pursuit  of   Albert, 
would  venture  again  to  attack  either  his  brother 
or  himself.     He  knew  that  the  wolf  was  one  of  the 
shrewdest  of  all  animals,  and  that,  unless  the  circum 
stances  were  very  unusual  indeed,  the  sight  of  a  gun 
would  be  sufficient  to  warn  them  off.     Nevertheless,  he 
decided  to  begin  a  campaign  against  them,  though  he  had 
to  wait  a  day  or  two  until  Albert's  shaken  nerves  were 
restored. 

They  wished  to  save  their  ammunition  as  much  as 
possible,  and  they  built  three  large  dead  falls,  in  which 
they  caught  six  or  seven  great  wolves,  despite  their  cun 
ning.  In  addition  they  hunted  them  with  rifles  with 
great  patience  and  care,  never  risking  a  shot  until  they 
felt  quite  sure  that  it  would  find  a  vital  spot.  In  this 
manner  they  slew  about  fifteen  more,  and  by  that  time 
the  wolves  were  thoroughly  terrified.  The  scent  of  the 
beings  carrying  sticks  which  poured  forth  death  and  de 
struction  at  almost  any  distance,  was  sufficient  to  send  the 
boldest  band  of  timber  wolves  scurrying  into  the  shad 
ows  of  the  deepest  forest  in  search  of  hiding  and  safety, 

158 


DICK    GOES    SCOUTING 

The  snow  melted  and  poured  in  a  thousand  streams 
from  the  mountains.  The  river  and  all  the  creeks  and 
brooks  roared  in  torrents,  the  earth  soaked  in  water,  and 
the  two  boys  spent  much  of  the  time  indoors  making  new 
clothing,  repairing  traps  and  nets,  and  fashioning  all 
kinds  of  little  implements  that  were  of  use  in  their  daily 
life.  They  could  realize,  only  because  they  now  had 
to  make  them,  how  numerous  such  implements  were. 
Yet  they  made  toasting  sticks  of  hard  wood,  carved  out 
wooden  platters,  constructed  a  rude  but  serviceable  din 
ing  table,  added  to  their  supply  of  traps  of  various 
kinds,  and  finally  made  two  large  baskets  of  split  willow. 
This  last  task  was  not  as  difficult  as  some  others,  as  both 
had  seen  and  taken  a  part  in  basket  making  in  Illinois. 
The  cabin  was  now  crowded  to  inconvenience.  Over 
their  beds,  from  side  to  side,  and  up  under  the  sloping 
roof,  they  had  fastened  poles,  and  from  all  of  these 
hung  furs  and  skins,  buffalo,  deer,  wolf,  wild  cat, 
beaver,  wolverine,  and  others,  and  also  stores  of  jerked 
game.  The  Annex  was  in  the  same  crowded  condition. 
The  boys  had  carried  the  hollow  somewhat  higher  up 
with  their  axes,  but  the  extension  gave  them  far  less 
room  than  they  needed. 

"It's  just  this,  Dick,"  said  Albert,  "  we're  getting 
so  rich  that  we  don't  know  what  to  do  with  all  our 
property.  I  used  to  think  it  a  joke  that  the  rich  were 
unhappy,  but  now  I  see  where  their  trouble  comes  in." 

"  I  know  that  the  trappers  cache  their  furs,  that  is, 
bury  them  or  hide  them  until  they  can  take  them  away," 
said  Dick,  "  but  we  don't  know  how  to  bury  furs  so 
they'll  keep  all  right.  Still,  we've  got  to  find  a  new 

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THE    LAST   OP    THE    CHIEFS 

place  of  some  kind.  Besides,  it  would  be  better  to  have 
them  hidden  where  only  you  and  I  could  find  them,  Al. 
Maybe  we  can  find  such  a  place, ' ' 

Albert  agreed,  and  they  began  a  search  along  the 
cliffs.  Dick  knew  that  extensive  rocky  formations  must 
mean  a  cave  or  an  opening  of  some  kind,  if  they  only 
looked  long  enough  for  it,  and  at  last  they  found  in  the 
side  of  a  slope  a  place  that  he  thought  could  be  made  to 
suit.  It  was  a  rocky  hollow  running  back  about  fifteen 
feet,  and  with  a  height  and  width  of  perhaps  ten  feet. 
It  was  approached  by  an  opening  about  four  feet  in 
height  and  two  feet  in  width.  Dick  wondered  at  first 
that  it  had  not  been  used  as  a  den  by  some  wild  animal, 
but  surmised  that  the  steepness  of  the  ascent  and  the 
extreme  roughness  of  the  rocky  floor  had  kept  them  out. 
But  these  very  qualities  recommended  the  hollow  to 
the  boys  for  the  use  that  they  intended  it.  Its  position 
in  the  side  of  the  cliff  made  it  a  hard  place  to  find,  and 
the  solid  rock  of  its  floor,  walls,  and  roof  insured  the 
dryness  that  was  necessary  for  the  storage  of  their  furs. 
61  We'll  call  this  the  Cliff  House/'  said  Albert,  "  and 
we'll  take  possession  at  once." 

They  broke  off  the  sharper  of  the  stone  projections 
with  their  ax  heads,  and  then  began  the  transfer  of  the 
furs.  It  was  no  light  task  to  carry  them  up  the  steep 
slope  to  the  Cliff  House,  but,  forced  to  do  all  things  for 
themselves,  they  had  learned  perseverance,  and  they  car 
ried  all  their  stock  of  beaver  furs  and  all  the  buffalo 
robes  and  bearskins,  except  those  in  actual  use,  together 
with  a  goodly  portion  of  the  wolfskins,  elk  hides,  and 
others. 

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DICK   GOES   SCOUTING 

Dick  made  a  rude  but  heavy  door  which  fitted  well 
enough  into  the  opening  to  keep  out  any  wild  animal, 
no  matter  how  small,  and  in  front  of  it,  in  a  little  patch 
of  soft  soil,  they  set  out  two  transplanted  pine  bushes 
which  seemed  to  take  root,  and  which  Dick  was  sure 
would  grow  in  the  spring. 

When  the  boys  looked  up  from  the  bottom  of  the 
slope,  they  saw  no  trace  of  the  Cliff  House,  only  an  ex 
panse  of  rock,  save  a  little  patch  of  earth  where  two  tiny 
pines  were  growing. 

' '  Nobody  but  ourselves  will  ever  find  our  furs !  ' '  ex 
claimed  Dick  exultingly.  "  The  most  cunning  Indian 
Would  not  dream  that  anything  was  hidden  up  there 
behind  those  little  pines,  and  the  furs  will  keep  as  well 
inside  as  if  they  were  in  the  best  storehouse  ever  built." 

The  discovery  and  use  of  the  rock  cache  was  a  great 
relief  to  both.  Their  cabin  had  become  so  crowded  with 
furs  and  stores,  that  the  air  was  often  thick  and  heavy,, 
and  they  did  not  have  what  Dick  called  elbow  room. 
Now  they  used  the  cabin  almost  exclusively  for  living 
purposes.  Most  of  the  stores  were  in  the  Annex,  while 
the  dry  and  solid  Cliff  House  held  the  furs. 

"  Have  you  thought,  Dick,  what  you  and  I  are?  " 
asked  Albert. 

"  I  don't  catch  your  meaning." 

"  "We're  aristocrats  of  the  first  water,  Mr.  Richard 
Howard  and  Mr.  Albert  Howard,  the  Mountain  Kings. 
We  can't  get  along  with  less  than  four  residences.  We 
live  in  Castle  Howard,  the  main  mansion,  superior  to 
anything  of  its  kind  in  a  vast  region :  then  we  have  the 
Annex,  a  tower  used  chiefly  as  a  supply  room  and  treas- 

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THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

lire  chest;  then  the  Suburban  Villa,  a  light,  airy  place 
of  graceful  architecture,  very  suitable  as  a  summer  resi 
dence,  and  now  we  have  the  Cliff  House,  in  a  lofty  and 
commanding  position  noted  for  its  wonderful  view.  We 
are  really  a  fortunate  pair,  Dick." 

"  Fve  been  thinking  that  for  sometime,"  replied 
Dick  rather  gravely. 

Hitherto  they  had  confined  their  operations  chiefly 
to  their  own  side  of  the  lake,  but  as  they  ranged  farther 
and  farther  in  search  of  furs  they  began  to  prowl  among 
the  canyons  and  narrow  valleys  in  the  mountains  on  the 
other  side.  They  made,  rather  far  up  the  northern  side, 
some  valuable  catches  of  beaver,  but  in  order  to  return 
with  them,  they  were  compelled  to  come  around  either 
the  northern  or  southern  end  of  the  lake,  and  the  round 
trip  was  tremendously  long  and  tiring. 

"  It's  part  of  a  man's  business  to  economize  time 
and  strength,"  said  Dick,  "  and  we  must  do  it.  You 
and  I,  Al,  are  going  to  make  a  canoe." 

"How?  " 

"  I  don't  know  just  yet,  but  I'm  studying  it  out. 
The  idea  will  jump  out  of  my  head  in  two  or  three 
days." 

It  was  four  days  before  it  jumped,  but  when  it  did, 
it  jumped  to  some  purpose. 

"  First,  well  make  a  dugout,"  he  said.  "  We've 
got  the  tools— axes,  knives,  saws,  and  augers— and  we'd 
better  start  with  that. ' ' 

They  cut  down  a  big  and  perfectly  straight  pine  and 
chose  a  length  of  about  twelve  feet  from  the  largest  part 
of  the  trunk.  Both  boys  had  seen  dugouts,  and  they 

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DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

knew,  in  a  general  way,  how  to  proceed.  Their  native 
intelligence  supplied  the  rest. 

They  cut  off  one  side  of  the  log  until  it  was  flat,  thus 
making  the  bottom  for  the  future  canoe.  They  cut  the 
opposite  side  away  in  the  well-known  curve  that  a  boat 
makes,  low  in  the  middle  and  high  at  each  end.  This 
part  of  the  work  was  done  with  great  caution,  but  Dick 
had  an  artistic  eye,  and  they  made  a  fairly  good  curve. 
Next,  they  began  the  tedious  and  laborious  work  of  dig 
ging  out,  using  axes,  hatchets,  and  chisel. 

This  was  a  genuine  test  of  Albert 's  new  strength, 
but  he  stood  it  nobly.  They  chipped  away  for  a  long 
time,  until  the  wood  on  the  sides  and  bottom  was  thin 
but  strong  enough  to  stand  any  pressure.  Then  they 
made  the  proper  angle  and  curve  of  bow  and  stern,  cut 
and  made  two  stout  broad  paddles,  and  their  dugout 
was  ready — a  long  canoe  with  a  fairly  good  width,  as 
the  original  log  had  been  more  than  two  feet  in  diameter. 
It  was  both  light  and  strong,  and,  raising  it  on  their 
shoulders,  they  carried  it  down  to  the  lake  where  they 
put  it  in  the  water. 

Albert,  full  of  enthusiasm,  sprang  into  the  canoe  and 
made  a  mighty  sweep  with  his  paddle.  The  light  dugout 
shot  away,  tipped  on  one  side,  and  as  Albert  made  an 
other  sweep  with  his  paddle  to  right  it,  it  turned  over, 
bottom  side  up,  casting  the  rash  young  paddler  into 
ten  feet  of  pure  cold  water.  Albert  came  up  with  a 
mighty  splash  and  sputter.  He  was  a  good  swimmer, 
and  he  had  also  retained  hold  of  the  paddle  uncon 
sciously,  perhaps.  Dick  regarded  him  contemplatively 
from  the  land.  He  had  no  idea  of  jumping  in.  One  wet 

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THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  cold  boy  was  enough.  Besides,  rashness  deserved 
its  punishment. 

"  Get  the  canoe  before  it  floats  farther  away/'  he 
called  out,  '  '  and  tow  it  to  land.  It  has  cost  us  too  much 
work  to  be  lost  out  on  the  lake." 

Albert  swam  to  the  canoe,  which  was  now  a  dozen 
yards  away,  and  quickly  towed  it  and  the  paddle  to 
land.  There,  shivering,  the  water  running  from  him  in 
streams,  he  stepped  upon  the  solid  earth. 

"  Run  to  the  cabin  as  fast  as  you  can,"  said  Dick. 
"  Take  off  those  wet  things,  rub  yourself  down  before 
the  fire;  then  put  on  dry  clothes  and  come  back  here 
and  help  me." 

Albert  needed  no  urging,  but  it  seemed  to  him  that 
he  would  freeze  before  he  reached  the  cabin,  short  as  the 
distance  was.  Fortunately,  there  was  a  good  fire  on  the 
hearth,  and,  after  he  had  rubbed  down  and  put  on  his 
dry,  warm  suit  of  deerskin,  he  never  felt  finer  in  his 
life.  He  returned  to  the  lake,  but  he  felt  sheepish  on 
the  way.  That  had  been  a  rash  movement  of  his,  over- 
enthusiastic,  but  he  had  been  properly  punished.  His 
chagrin  was  increased  when  he  saw  Dick  a  considerable 
distance  out  on  the  lake  in  the  canoe,  driving  it  about 
in  graceful  curves  with  long  sweeps  of  his  paddle. 

"  This  is  the  way  it  ought  to  be  done,"  called  out 
Dick  cheerily.  ' '  Behold  me,  Richard  Howard,  the  king 
of  canoe  men!  >f 

"  You've  been  practicing  while  I  was  gone!  "  ex 
claimed  Albert. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  my  young  friend,  and  that  is  why 
you  see  me  showing  such  skill,  grace,  and  knowledge.  I 

164 


DICE.   GOES   SCOUTING 

give  you  the  same  recipe  without  charge:  Look  before 
you  leap,  especially  if  you're  going  to  leap  into  a  canoe. 
Now  we'll  try  it  together. " 

He  brought  the  canoe  back  to  the  land,  Albert  got 
in  cautiously,  and  for  the  rest  of  the  day  they  practiced 
paddling,  both  together  and  alone.  Albert  got  another 
ducking,  and  Dick,  in  a  moment  of  overconfidence,  got 
one,  too,  somewhat  to  Albert's  pleasure  and  relief,  as 
it  has  been  truly  said  that  misery  loves  company,  but 
in  two  or  three  days  they  learned  to  use  the  canoe  with 
ease.  Then,  either  together  or  alone,  they  would  pad 
dle  boldly  the  full  length  of  the  lake,  and  soon  acquired 
dexterity  enough  to  use  it  for  freight,  too ;  that  is,  they 
would  bring  back  in  it  across  the  lake  anything  that 
they  had  shot  or  trapped  on  the  other  side. 

So  completely  had  they  lost  count  of  time  that  Dick 
had  an  idea  spring  was  coming,  but  winter  suddenly 
shut  down  upon  them  again.  It  did  not  arrive  with 
wind  and  snow  this  time,  but  in  the  night  a  wave  of 
cold  came  down  from  the  north  so  intense  that  the  shel 
tered  valley  even  did  not  repel  it. 

Dick  and  Albert  did  not  appreciate  how  really  cold 
it  was  until  they  went  from  the  cabin  into  the  clear 
morning  air,  when  they  were  warned  by  the  numbing 
sensation  that  assailed  their  ears  and  noses.  They  hur 
ried  into  the  house  and  thawed  out  their  faces,  which 
stung  greatly  as  they  were  exposed  to  the  fire.  Remem 
bering  the  experiences  of  their  early  boyhood,  they  ap 
plied  cold  water  freely,  which  allayed  the  stinging. 
After  that  they  were  very  careful  to  wrap  up  fingers^ 
ears,  and  noses  when  they  went  forth. 

165 


THE    LAST   OP   THE    CHIEFS 

Now,  the  channel  that  Albert  had  made  from  the 
water  of  the  hot  spring  proved  of  great  use.  The  water 
that  came  boiling  from  the  earth  cooled  off  rapidly,  but 
it  was  not  yet  frozen  when  it  reached  the  side  of  Castle 
Howard,  and  they  could  make  use  of  it. 

The  very  first  morning  they  found  their  new  boat,  of 
Which  they  were  so  proud,  hard  and  fast  with  ten  inches 
of  solid  ice  all  around  it.  Albert  suggested  leaving  it 
there. 

*  *  We  have  no  need  of  it  so  long  as  the  lake  is  covered 
with  ice/'  he  said,  "  and  when  the  ice  melts  it  will  be 
released. ' ' 

But  Dick  looked  a  little  farther.  The  ice  might  press 
in  on  it  and  crush  it,  and  hence  Albert  and  he  cut  it  out 
with  axes,  after  which  they  put  it  in  the  lee  of  the  cabin. 
Meanwhile,  when  they  wished  to  reach  the  traps  on  the 
farther  side  of  the  lake,  they  crossed  it  on  the  ice,  and, 
presuming  that  the  cold  might  last  long,  they  easily 
made  a  rude  sledge  which  they  used  in  place  of  the 
canoe. 

"  If  we  can't  go  through  the  water,  we  can  at  least 
go  over  it,"  said  Albert. 

While  the  great  cold  lasted,  a  period  of  about  two 
weeks,  the  boys  went  on  no  errands  except  to  their  traps. 
The  cold  was  so  intense  that  often  they  could  hear  the 
logs  of  Castle  Howard  contracting  with  a  sound  like 
pistol  shots.  Then  they  would  build  the  fire  high  and 
sit  comfortably  before  it.  Fortunately,  the  valley  af 
forded  plenty  of  fuel.  Both  boys  wished  now  that  they 
had  a  few  books,  but  books  were  out  of  the  question,  and 
they  sought  always  to  keep  themselves  busy  with  the 

166 


DICK   GOES   SCOUTING 

tasks  that  their  life  in  the  valley  entailed  upon  them. 
Both  knew  that  this  was  best. 

The  cold  was  so  great  that  even  the  wild  animals 
suffered  from  it.  The  timber  wolves,  despite  their  terri 
ble  lessons,  were  driven  by  it  down  the  valley,  and  at 
night  a  stray  one  now  and  then  would  howl  mournfully 
near  the  cabin. 

11  He's  a  robber  and  would  like  to  be  a  murderer," 
Albert  would  say,  "  but  he  probably  smells  this  jerked 
buffalo  meat  that  I'm  cooking  and  I'm  sorry  for  him." 

But  the  wolves  were  careful  to  keep  out  of  rifle  shot. 

Dick  made  one  trip  up  the  valley  and  found  about 
fifty  buffaloes  sheltered  in  a  deep  ravine  and  clustering 
close  together  for  warmth.  They  were  quite  thin,  as  the 
grass,  although  it  had  been  protected  by  the  snow,  was 
very  scanty  at  that  period  of  the  year.  Dick  could  have 
obtained  a  number  of  good  robes,  but  he  spared  them. 

"  Maybe  I  won't  be  so  soft-hearted  when  the  spring 
comes  and  you  are  fatter, ' '  he  said. 

The  two,  about  this  time,  took  stock  of  their  ammuni 
tion,  which  was  the  most  vital  of  all  things  to  them. 
For  sometime  they  had  used  both  the  shot  and  ball  car 
tridges  only  in  cases  of  necessity,  and  they  were  relying 
more  and  more  on  traps,  continually  devising  new  kinds, 
their  skill  and  ingenuity  increasing  with  practice. 

Dick  had  brought  a  great  store  of  cartridges  from  the 
last  train,  especially  from  the  unrifled  wagon  in  the 
gully,  and  both  boys  were  surprised  to  see  how  manj" 
they  had  left.  They  had  enough  to  last  a  long  time,  ac 
cording  to  their  present  mode  of  life. 

"  If  you  are  willing,  that  settles  it,"  said  Dick- 
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THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  If  I  am  willing  for  what?  "  asked  Albert. 

"  Willing  to  stay  over  another  year.  You  see,  Al, 
we've  wandered  into  a  happy  hunting  ground.  There 
are  more  furs,  by  the  hundreds,  for  the  taking,  and  it 
seems  that  this  is  a  lost  valley.  Nobody  else  comes  here. 
Besides,  you  are  doing  wonderfully.  All  that  old  trouble 
is  gone,  and  we  want  it  to  stay  gone.  If  we  stay  here 
another  year,  and  you  continue  to  eat  the  way  you  do 
and  grow  the  way  you  do,  you  '11  be  able  to  take  a  buff  aic 
by  the  horns  and  wring  its  neck. ' ' 

Albert  grinned  pleasantly  at  his  brother. 

"  You  don't  have  to  beg  me  to  stay,"  he  said.  "  I 
like  this  valley.  It  has  given  me  life  and  what  is  to  be1 
our  fortune,  our  furs.  "Why  not  do  ail  we  can  while  we 
can  ?  I  'm  in  favor  of  the  extra  year,  Dick. ' ' 

"  Then  no  more  need  be  said  about  it.  The  Cliff 
House  isn't  half  full  of  furs  yet,  but  in  another  year  we 
can  fill  it." 

The  great  cold  began  to  break  up,  the  ice  on  the  lake 
grew  thinner  and  thinner  and  then  disappeared,  much 
of  the  big  game  left  the  valley,  the  winds  from  the  north 
ceased  to  blow,  and  in  their  stead  came  breezes  from 
the  south,  tipped  with  warmth.  Dick  knew  that  spring 
was  near.  It  was  no  guess,  he  could  feel  it  in  every  bone 
of  him,  and  he  rejoiced.  He  had  had  enough  of  winter, 
and  it  gave  him  the  keenest  pleasure  when  he  saw  tiny 
blades  of  new  grass  peeping  up  in  sheltered  places  here 
and  there. 

Dick,  although  he  was  not  conscious  of  it,  had 
changed  almost  as  much  as  Albert  in  the  last  eight  or 
nine  months.  He  had  had  no  weak  chest  and  throat  to 

168 


DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

cure,  but  his  vigorous  young  frame  had  responded  nobly 
to  the  stimulus  of  self-reliant  life.  The  physical  expe 
rience,  as  well  as  the  mental,  of  those  eight  or  nine 
months,  had  been  equal  to  five  times  their  number  spent 
under  ordinary  conditions,  and  he  had  grown  greatly  in 
every  respect.  Few  men  were  as  strong,  as  agile,  and  as 
alert  as  he. 

He  and  Albert,  throughout  that  long  winter,  had 
been  sufficient  unto  each  other.  They  had  a  great  sense 
of  ownership,  the  valley  and  all  its  manifold  treasures 
belonged  to  them— a  feeling  that  was  true,  as  no  one 
else  came  to  claim  it— and  they  believed  that  in  their 
furs  they  were  acquiring  an  ample  provision  for  a  start 
in  life. 

"When  the  first  tender  shades  of  green  began  to  ap 
pear  in  the  valley  and  on  the  slopes,  Dick  decided  upon 
a  journey. 

"  Do  you  know,  Al,  how  long  we  have  been  in  this 
valley?  "  he  asked. 

"  Eight  or  ten  months,  I  suppose,"  replied  Albert. 

"  It  must  be  something  like  that,  and  we've  been 
entirely  away  from  our  race.  If  we  had  anybody  to 
think  about  us— although  we  haven't— they'd  be  sure 
that  we  are  dead.  We're  just  as  ignorant  of  what  is 
happening  in  the  world,  and  I  want  to  go  on  a  skirmish 
ing  trip  over  the  mountains.  You  keep  house  while  I  'm 
gone. ' ' 

Albert  offered  mild  objections,  which  he  soon  with 
drew,  as  at  heart  he  thought  his  brother  right,  and  the 
next  day,  early  in  the  morning,  Dick  started  on  his  jour- 
Bey.  He  carried  jerked  buffalo  meat  in  a  deerskin  pouch 

J69 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

that  he  had  made  for  himself,  his  customary  repeating 
rifle,  revolver,  and  a  serviceable  hatchet. 

"  Look  after  things  closely,  Al,"  said  Dick,  "  and 
don't  bother  about  setting  the  traps.  Furs  are  not  good 
in  the  spring. " 

"  All  right/'  responded  Albert.  "  How  long  do  you 
think  you  '11  be  gone  ?  ' ' 

"  Can't  say,  precisely.  Three  or  four  days,  I  pre 
sume,  but  don't  you  worry  unless  it's  a  full  week." 

It  was  characteristic  of  the  strength  and  self-re 
straint  acquired  by  the  two  that  they  parted  with  these 
words  and  a  hand  clasp  only,  yet  both  had  deep  feeling. 
Dick  looked  back  from  the  mouth  of  the  cleft  toward 
Castle  Howard  and  saw  a  boy  in  front  of  it  waving  a  cap. 
He  waved  his  own  in  reply  and  then  went  forward  more 
swiftly  down  the  valley. 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  reach  the  first  slope,  and, 
when  he  had  ascended  a  little,  he  paused  for  rest  and 
inspection.  Soring  had  really  made  considerable  prog 
ress.  All  the  trees  except  the  evergreens  had  put  forth 
young  leaves  and,  as  he  looked  toward  the  north,  the 
mountains  unrolled  like  a  vast  green  blanket  that  swept 
away  in  ascending  folds  until  it  ended,  and  then  the 
peaks  and  ridges,  white  with  snow,  began. 

Dick  climbed  farther,  and  their  valley  was  wholly 
lost  to  sight.  It  was  not  so  wonderful  after  all  that  no 
body  came  to  it.  Trappers  who  knew  of  it  long  ago 
never  returned,  believing  that  the  beaver  were  all  gone 
forever,  and  it  was  too  near  to  the  warlike  Sioux  of  the 
plains  for  mountain  Indians  to  make  a  home  there. 

Dick  did  not  stop  long  for  the  look  backward — he 
170 


DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

was  too  intent  upon  his  mission — but  resumed  the  ascent 
with  light  foot  and  light  heart.  He  remembered  very 
well  the  way  in  which  he  and  Albert  had  come,  and  he 
followed  it  on  the  return.  At  night,  with  his  buffalo  robe 
about  him,  he  slept  in  the  pine  alcove  that  had  been  the 
temporary  home  of  Albert  and  himself.  He  could  see  no 
change  in  it  in  all  the  months,  except  traces  to  show 
that  some  wild  animal  had  slept  there. 

* '  Maybe  you  11  come  to-night,  Mr.  Bear  or  Mr.  Moun 
tain  Lion,  to  sleep  in  your  little  bed,"  said  Dick  as  he 
lay  down  in  his  buffalo  robe,  "  but  you  11  find  me  here 
before  you. ' ' 

He  was  wise  enough  to  know  that  neither  bear  nor 
mountain  lion  would  ever  molest  him,  and  he  slept 
soundly.  He  descended  the  last  slopes  and  came  in 
sight  of  the  plains  on  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day. 
Everything  seemed  familiar.  The  events  of  that  fatal 
time  had  made  too  deep  an  impression  upon  him  and 
Albert  ever  to  be  forgotten.  He  knew  the  very  rocks 
and  trees  and  so  went  straight  to  the  valley  in  which  he 
had  found  the  wagon  filled  with  supplies.  It  lay  there 
yet,  crumpled  somewhat  by  time  and  the  weight  of  snow 
that  had  fallen  upon  it  during  the  winter,  but  a  strong 
man  with  good  tools  might  put  it  in  shape  for  future 
service. 

"  Now,  if  Al  and  I  only  had  horses,  we  might  get  it 
out  and  take  away  our  furs  in  it,"  said  Dick,  "  but  I 
suppose  I  might  as  well  wish  for  a  railroad  as  for 
horses." 

He  descended  into  the  gully  and  found  the  tracks  of 
wolves  and  other  wild  beasts  about  the  wagon.  In  their 

171 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

hunger,  they  had  chewed  up  every  fragment  of  leather 
or  cloth,  and  had  clawed  and  scratched  among  the  lock 
ers.  Dick  had  searched  these  pretty  well  before,  but 
now  he  looked  for  gleanings.  He  found  little  of  value 
until  he  discovered,  jammed  down  in  a  corner,  an  old 
history  and  geography  of  the  United  States  combined 
in  one  volume  with  many  maps  and  illustrations.  It 
was  a  big  octavo  book,  and  Dick  seized  it  with  the  same 
delight  with  which  a  miner  snatches  up  his  nugget  of 
gold.  He  opened  it,  took  a  rapid  look  through  flying 
pages,  murmured,  "  Just  the  thing/7  closed  it  again, 
and  buttoned  it  securely  inside  his  deerskin  coat.  He 
had  not  expected  anything ;  nevertheless,  he  had  gleaned 
to  some  purpose. 

Dick  left  the  wagon  and  went  into  the  pass  where 
the  massacre  had  occurred.  Time  had  not  dimmed  the 
horror  of  the  place  for  him  and  he  shuddered  as  he 
approached  the  scene  of  ambush,  but  he  forced  himself 
to  go  on. 

The  wagons  were  scattered  about,  but  little  changed, 
although,  as  in  the  case  of  the  one  in  the  gully,  all  the 
remaining  cloth  and  leather  had  been  chewed  by  wild 
animals.  Here  and  there  were  the  skeletons  of  the 
fallen,  and  Dick  knew  that  the  wild  beasts  had  not  been 
content  with  leather  and  cloth  alone.  He  went  through 
the  wagons  one  by  one,  but  found  nothing  of  value  left 
except  a  paper  of  needles,  some  spools  of  thread,  and 
a  large  pair  of  scissors,  all  of  which  he  put  in  the  pack 
age  with  the  history. 

It  was  nightfall  when  he  finished  the  task,  and  retir 
ing  to  the  slope,  he  made  his  bed  among  some  pines.  He 

172 


DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

heard  wolves  howling  twice  in  the  night,  but  he  merely 
settled  himself  more  easily  in  his  warm  buffalo  rob« 
and  went  to  sleep  again.  Replenishing  his  canteen  with 
water  the  next  morning,  he  started  out  upon  the  plains, 
intending  to  make  some  explorations. 

Dick  had  thought  at  first  that  they  were  in  the  Black 
Hills,  but  he  concluded  later  that  they  were  much  far 
ther  west.  The  mountains  about  them  were  altogether 
too  high  for  the  Black  Hills,  and  he  wished  to  gain  some 
idea  of  their  position  upon  the  map.  The  thought  re 
minded  him  that  he  had  a  book  with  maps  in  his  pocket, 
and  he  took  out  the  precious  volume. 

He  found  a  map  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  territory, 
but  most  of  the  space  upon  it  was  vague,  often  blank, 
and  he  could  not  exactly  locate  himself  and  Albert,  al 
though  he  knew  that  they  were  very  far  west  of  any 
settled  county. 

"  I  can  learn  from  that  book  all  about  the  world 
except  ourselves,"  he  said,  as  he  put  it  back  in  his 
pocket.  But  he  was  not  sulky  over  it.  His  was  a  bold 
and  adventurous  spirit  and  he  was  not  afraid,  nor  was 
his  present  trip  merely  to  satisfy  curiosity.  He  and 
Albert  must  leave  the  valley  some  day,  and  it  was  well 
to  know  the  best  way  in  which  it  could  be  done. 

He  started  across  the  plain  in  a  general  southwesterly 
direction,  intending  to  travel  for  about  a  day  perhaps, 
camp  for  the  night,  and  return  on  the  following  day  to 
his  mountains.  He  walked  along  \vith  a  bold,  swinging 
step  and  did  not  look  back  for  an  hour,  but  when  he 
turned  at  last  he  felt  as  if  he  had  ventured  upon  the 
open  ocean  in  a  treacherous  canoe.  There  were  the 

173 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

mountains,  high,  sheltered,  and  friendly,  while  off  to  the 
south  and  west  the  plains  rolled  away  in  swell  after 
swell  as  long  and  desolate  as  an  untraveled  sea,  and  as 
hopeless. 

Dick  saw  toward  noon  some  antelope  grazing  on  the 
horizon,  but  he  was  not  a  hunter  now,  and  he  did  not 
trouble  himself  to  seek  a  shot.  An  hour  or  two  later 
he  saw  a  considerable  herd  of  buffaloes  scattered  about 
over  the  plain,  nibbling  the  short  bunch  grass  that  had 
lived  under  the  snow.  They  were  rather  an  inspiring 
sight,  and  Dick  felt  as  if,  in  a  sense,  they  were  furnishing 
him  company.  They  drove  away  the  desolation  and  lone 
liness  of  the  plains,  and  his  inclinations  toward  thrsm 
were  those  of  genuine  friendliness.  They  were  in  danger 
of  no  bullet  from  him. 

While  he  was  looking  at  them,  he  saw  new  figures 
coming  over  the  distant  swell.  At  first  he  thought  they 
were  antelope,  but  when  they  reached  the  crest  of  the 
swell  and  their  figures  were  thrown  into  relief  against 
the  brilliant  sky,  he  saw  that  they  were  horsemen. 

They  came  on  with  such  regularity  and  precision, 
that,  for  a  moment  or  two,  Dick  believed  them  to  be  a 
troop  of  cavalry,  but  he  learned  better  when  they  scat 
tered  with  a  shout  and  began  to  chase  the  buffaloes. 
Then  he  knew  that  they  were  a  band  of  Sioux  Indians, 
hunting. 

The  full  extent  of  his  danger  dawned  upon  him 
instantly.  He  was  alone  and  on  foot.  The  hunt  might 
bring  them  down  upon  him  in  five  minutes.  He  was 
about  to  run,  but  his  figure  would  certainly  be  exposed 
upon  the  crest  of  one  of  the  swells,  as  theirs  had  been,, 

174 


DICK    GOES    SCOUTING 

and  he  dropped  instead  into  one  of  &  number  of  little 
gullies  that  intersected  the  plain. 

It  was  an  abrupt  little  gully,  and  Dick  was  well  hid 
den  from  any  eyes  not  within  ten  yards  of  him.  He  lay 
at  first  so  he  could  not  see,  but  soon  he  began  to  hear 
shots  and  the  trampling  of  mighty  hoofs.  He  knew 
now  that  the  Sioux  were  in  among  the  buffaloes,  dealing 
out  death,  and  he  began  to  have  a  fear  of  being  trodden 
upon  either  by  horsemen  or  huge  hoofs.  He  could  not 
bear  to  lie  there  and  be  warned  only  by  sound,  so  lie 
turned  a  little  farther  on  one  side  and  peeped  over  the 
edge  of  the  gully. 

The  hunters  and  the  hunted  were  not  as  near  as  he 
thought ;  he  had  been  deceived  by  sound,  the  earth  beiao^ 
such  a  good  conductor.  Yet  they  were  near  enough  for 
him  to  see  that  he  was  in  great  danger  and  should  re 
main  well  hidden.  He  could  observe,  however,  that  the 
hunt  was  attended  with  great  success.  Over  a  dozen 
buffaloes  had  fallen  and  the  others  were  running  aboU£ 
singly  or  in  little  groups,  closely  pursued  by  the  exultant 
Sioux.  Some  were  on  one  side  of  him  and  some  on  tba 
other.  There  was  no  chance  for  him,  no  matter  n»?w 
careful  he  might  be,  to  rise  from  the  gully  and  sneaK 
away  over  the  plain.  Instead,  he  crouched  more  closes v 
and  contracted  himself  into  the  narrowest  possible  space. 
while  the  hunt  wheeled  and  thundered  about  him. 

It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  Dick  felt  many  tremors, 
He  had  seen  what  the  Sioux  could  do.  He  knew  that 
they  were  the  most  merciless  of  all  the  northwestern 
Indians,  and  he  expected  only  torture  and  death  if  "he 
fell  into  their  hands,  and  there  was  his  brother  alone 

175 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

now  in  the  valley.  Once  the  hunt  swung  away  to  the 
westward  and  the  sounds  of  it  grew  faint.  Dick  hoped 
it  would  continue  in  that  direction,  but  by  and  by  it 
came  back  again  and  he  crouched  down  anew  in  his  nar 
row  quarters.  He  felt  that  every  bone  in  him  was  stif 
fening  with  cramp  and  needlelike  pains  shot  through 
his  nerves.  Yet  he  dared  not  move.  And  upon  top  of 
his  painful  position  came  the  knowledge  that  the  Sioux 
would  stay  there  to  cut  up  the  slain  buffaloes.  He  was 
tempted  more  than  once  to  jump  up,  run  for  it  and  take 
his  chances. 

He  noticed  presently  a  gray  quality  in  the  air,  and 
as  he  glanced  off  toward  the  west,  he  saw  that  the  red 
sun  was  burning  very  low.  Dick's  heart  sprang  up  in 
gladness;  it  was  the  twilight,  and  the  blessed  darkness 
would  bring  the  chance  of  escape.  Seldom  has  anyone 
watched  the  coming  of  night  with  keener  pleasure.  The 
sun  dropped  down  behind  the  swells,  the  gray  twilight 
passed  over  all  the  sky,  and  after  it  came  the  night,  on 
black  wings. 

Fires  sprang  up  on  the  plain,  fires  of  buffalo  chips 
lighted  by  the  Sioux,  who  were  now  busy  skinning  and 
cutting  up  the  slain  buffaloes.  Dick  saw  the  fires  all 
about  him,  but  none  was  nearer  than  a  hundred  yards, 
and,  despite  them,  he  decided  that  now  was  his  best  time 
to  attempt  escape  before  the  moon  should  come  out  and 
lighten  up  the  night. 

He  pulled  himself  painfully  from  the  kind  gully. 
He  had  lain  there  hours,  and  he  tested  every  joint  as  he 
crept  a  few  feet  on  the  plain.  They  creaked  for  a  while, 
but  presently  the  circulation  was  restored,  and,  rising 

176 


DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

to  a  stooping  position,  with  his  rifle  ready,  he  slipped  off 
toward  the  westward. 

Dick  knew  that  great  caution  was  necessary,  but  he 
had  confidence  in  the  veiling  darkness.  Off  to  the  east 
ward  he  could  see  one  fire,  around  which  a  half  dozen 
warriors  were  gathered,  busy  with  a  slain  buffalo,  work 
ing  and  feasting.  He  fancied  that  he  could  trace  their 
savage  features  against  the  red  firelight,  but  he  himself 
was  in  the  darkness. 

Another  fire  rose  up,  and  this  was  straight  before 
him.  Like  the  others,  warriors  were  around  it,  and  Dick 
turned  off  abruptly  to  the  south.  There  he  heard  ponies 
stamping  and  he  shifted  his  course  again.  "When  he 
had  gone  about  a  dozen  yards  he  lay  down  flat  upon  the 
plain  and  listened.  He  was  hardy  and  bold,  but,  for  a 
little  while,  he  was  almost  in  despair.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  he  was  ringed  around  by  a  circle  of  savage  warriors 
and  that  he  could  not  break  through  it. 

His  courage  returned,  and,  rising  to  his  knees,  he  re 
sumed  his  slow  progress.  His  course  was  now  south 
westerly,  and  soon  he  heard  again  the  stamping  of  hoofs. 
It  was  then  that  a  daring  idea  came  into  Dick's  head. 

That  stamping  of  hoofs  was  obviously  made  by  the 
ponies  of  the  Sioux.  Either  the  ponies  were  tethered  to 
short  sticks,  or  they  had  only  a  small  guard,  perhaps 
a  single  man.  Busy  as  they  were  with  the  buffaloes,  and 
unsuspecting  of  a  strange  presence,  they  would  not  de 
tail  more  than  one  man  to  watch  their  horses.  It  was 
wisdom  for  him  to  slip  away  one  of  the  horses,  mount 
it  when  at  a  safe  distance,  and  then  gallop  toward  the 
mountains. 

177 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Dick  sank  down  a  little  lower  and  crept  very  slowly 
toward  the  point  from  which  the  stamping  of  hoofs  pro 
ceeded.  When  he  had  gone  about  a  dozen  yards  he 
heard  another  stamping  of  hoofs  to  his  right  and  then 
a  faint  whinny.  This  encouraged  him.  It  showed  him 
that  the  ponies  were  tethered  in  groups,  and  the  group 
toward  which  he  was  going  might  be  without  a  guard. 
He  continued  his  progress  another  dozen  yards,  and 
then  lay  flat  upon  the  plain.  He  had  seen  two  vague 
forms  in  the  darkness,  and  he  wished  to  make  himself 
a  blur  with  the  earth.  They  were  warriors  passing  from 
one  camp  fire  to  another,  and  Dick  saw  them  plainly,  tall 
men  with  blankets  folded  about  them  like  togas,  long 
hair  in  which  eagle  feathers  were  braided  after  the  Sioux 
style,  and  strong  aquiline  features.  They  looked  like 
chiefs,  men  of  courage,  dignity,  and  mind,  and  Dick 
contrasted  them  with  the  ruffians  of  the  wagon  train. 
The  contrast  was  not  favorable  to  the  white  faces  that 
he  remembered  so  well. 

But  the  boy  saw  nothing  of  mercy  or  pity  in  these 
red  countenances.  Bold  and  able  they  might  be,  but  it 
Was  no  part  of  theirs  to  spare  their  enemies.  He  fairly 
crowded  himself  against  the  earth,  but  they  went  on, 
absorbed  in  their  own  talk,  and  he  was  not  seen.  He 
raised  up  again  and  began  to  crawl.  The  group  of 
ponies  came  into  view,  and  he  saw  with  delight  that 
they  had  no  watchman.  A  half  dozen  in  number  and 
well  hobbled,  they  cropped  the  buffalo  grass.  They 
were  bare  of  back,  but  they  wore  their  Indian  bridles, 
Which  hung  from  their  heads. 

Dick  knew  a  good  deal  about  horses,  and  he  was 
178 


DICK   GOES    SCOUTING 

aware  that  the  approach  would  be  critical.  The  Indian 
ponies  might  take  alarm  or  they  might  not,  but  the  ven 
ture  must  be  made.  He  did  not  believe  that  he  could  get 
beyond  the  ring  of  Sioux  fires  without  being  discovered, 
and  only  a  dash  was  left. 

Dick  marked  the  pony  nearest  to  him.  It  seemed  a 
strong  animal,  somewhat  larger  than  the  others,  and, 
pulling  up  a  handful  of  the  bunch  grass,  he  approached 
it,  whistling  very  softly.  He  held  the  grass  in  his  left 
hand  and  his  hunting  knife  in  the  right,  his  rifle  being 
fastened  to  his  back.  The  pony  raised  his  head,  looked 
at  him  in  a  friendly  manner,  then  seemed  to  change  his 
mind  and  backed  away.  But  Dick  came  on,  still  holding 
out  the  grass  and  emitting  that  soft,  almost  inaudible 
whistle.  The  pony  stopped  and  wavered  between  belief 
and  suspicion.  Dick  was  not  more  than  a  dozen  feet 
away  now,  and  he  began  to  calculate  when  he  might 
make  a  leap  and  seize  the  bridle. 

The  boy  and  the  pony  were  intently  watching  the 
eyes  of  each  other.  Dick,  in  that  extreme  moment,  was 
gifted  with  preternatural  acuteness  of  mind  and  vision, 
and  he  saw  that  the  pony  still  wavered.  He  took  another 
step  forward,  and  the  eyes  of  the  pony  inclined  dis 
tinctly  from  belief  to  suspicion ;  another  short  and  cau 
tious  step,  and  they  were  all  suspicion.  But  it  was  too 
late  for  the  pony.  The  agile  youth  sprang,  and,  drop 
ping  the  grass,  seized  him  with  his  left  hand  by  the 
bridle.  A  sweep  or  two  of  the  hunting  knife  and  the 
hobbles  were  cut  through. 

The  pony  reared  and  gave  forth  an  alarmed  neigh, 
but  Dick,  quickly  replacing  the  knife  in  his  belt,  now 

179 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

held  the  bridle  with  both  hands,  and  those  two  hands 
were  very  strong.  He  pulled  the  pony  back  to  its  four 
feet  and  sprang,  with  one  bound,  upon  his  back.  Then 
kicking  him  vigorously  in  the  side,  he  dashed  away,  with 
rifle  shots  spattering  behind  him. 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE     TERRIBLE     PURSUIT 

DICK  knew  enough  to  bend  low  down  on  the  neck 
of  the  flying  mustang,  and  he  was  untouched, 
although  he  heard  the  bullets  whistling  about 
him.  The  neigh  of  the  pony  had  betrayed  him,  but  he 
was  aided  by  his  quickness  and  the  friendly  darkness, 
and  he  felt  a  surge  of  exultation  that  he  could  not  con 
trol,  boy  that  he  was.  The  Sioux,  jumping  upon  their 
ponies,  sent  forth  a  savage  war  whoop  that  the  desolate 
prairie  returned  in  moaning  echoes,  and  Dick  could  not 
refrain  from  a  reply.  He  uttered  one  shout,  swung  his 
rifle  defiantly  over  his  head,  then  bending  down  again, 
urged  his  pony  to  increased  speed. 

Dick  heard  the  hoofs  of  his  pursuers  thundering  be 
hind  him,  and  more  rifle  shots  came,  but  they  ceased 
quickly.  He  knew  that  the  Sioux  would  not  fire  again 
joon,  because  of  the  distance  and  the  uncertain  darkness. 
It  was  his  object  to  increase  that  distance,  trusting  that 
the  darkness  would  continue  free  from  moonlight.  He 
took  one  swift  look  backward  and  saw  the  Sioux,  a  dozen 
or  more,  following  steadily  after.  He  knew  that  they 
would  hang  on  as  long  as  any  chance  of  capturing  him 
remained,  and  he  resolved  to  make  use  of  the  next  sweli. 

181 


THE   LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

that  he  crossed.  He  would  swerve  when  he  passed  the 
crest,  and  while  it  was  yet  between  him  and  his  pur 
suers,  perhaps  he  could  find  some  friendly  covert,  that 
would  hide  him.  Meanwhile  he  clung  tightly  to  his 
rifle,  something  that  one  always  needed  in  this  wild  and 
dangerous  region. 

He  crossed  a  swell,  but  there  was  no  friendly  in 
crease  of  the  darkness  and  he  was  afraid  to  swerve, 
knowing  that  the  Sioux  would  thereby  gain  upon  him, 
since  he  would  make  himself  the  curve  of  the  bow,  while 
they  remained  the  string. 

In  fact,  the  hasty  glance  back  showed  that  the  Sioux 
had  gained,  and  Dick  felt  tremors.  He  was  tempted  for 
a  moment  to  fire  upon  his  pursuers,  but  it  would  cer 
tainly  cause  a  loss  of  speed,  and  he  did  not  believe  that 
he  could  hit  anything  under  such  circumstances.  No, 
he  would  save  his  bullets  for  a  last  stand,  if  they  ran 
him  to  earth. 

The  Sioux  raised  their  war  whoop  again  and  fired 
three  or  four  shots.  Dick  felt  a  slight  jarring  movement 
run  through  his  pony,  and  then  the  animal  swerved.  He 
was  afraid  that  he  had  trodden  in  a  prairie-dog  hole 
or  perhaps  a  little  gully,  but  in  an  instant  or  two  he  was 
running  steadily  again,  and  Dick  forgot  the  incident  in 
the  excitement  of  the  flight. 

He  was  in  constant  fear  lest  the  coming  out  of  the 
moon  should  lighten  up  the  prairie  and  make  him  a  good 
target  for  the  Sioux  bullets,  but  he  noted  instead,  and 
with  great  joy,  that  it  was  growing  darker.  Heavy 
clouds  drifted  across  the  sky,  and  a  cold  wind  arose  and 
began  to  whistle  out  of  the  northwest.  It  was  a  friendly 

182 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

black  robe  that  was  settling  down  over  the  earth.  It  had 
never  before  seemed  to  him  that  thick  night  could  be  so 
welcome. 

Dick's  pony  rose  again  on  a  swell  higher  than  the 
others,  and  was  poised  there  for  the  fraction  of  a  second 
a  dark  silhouette  against  the  darker  sky.  Several  of  the 
Sioux  fired.  Dick  felt  once  more  that  momentary  jar  of 
his  horse's  mechanism,  but  it  disappeared  quickly  and 
his  hopes  rose,  because  he  saw  that  the  darkness  lay 
thickly  between  this  swell  and  the  next,  and  he  believed 
that  he  now  could  lose  his  pursuers. 

He  urged  his  horse  vigorously.  He  had  made  no 
mistake  when  he  chose  this  pony  as  strong  and  true.  The 
response  was  instant  and  emphatic.  He  flew  down  the 
slope,  but  instead  of  ascending  the  next  swell  he  turned 
at  an  angle  and  went  down  the  depression  that  lay  be 
tween  them.  There  the  darkness  was  thickest,  and  the 
burst  of  speed  by  the  pony  was  so  great  that  the  shapes 
of  his  pursuers  became  vague  and  then  were  lost.  Never 
theless,  he  heard  the  thudding  of  their  hoofs  and  knew 
that  they  could  also  hear  the  beat  of  his.  That  would 
guide  them  for  a  while  yet.  He  thought  he  might  turn 
again  and  cross  the  next  swell,  thus  throwing  them  en 
tirely  off  his  track,  but  he  was  afraid  that  he  would  be 
cast  into  relief  again  when  he  reached  the  crest,  and 
so  continued  down  the  depression. 

He  heard  shouts  behind  him,  and  it  seemed  to  him 
that  they  were  not  now  the  shouts  of  triumph,  but  the 
shouts  of  chagrin.  Clearly,  he  was  gaining,  because  af 
ter  the  cries  ceased,  the  sound  of  hoof  beats  came  but 
faintly.  He  urged  his  horse  to  the  last  ounce  of  his 

183 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

wpeed,  and  soon  the  sound  of  the  pursuing  hoofs  ceased 
entirely. 

The  depression  ended  and  he  was  on  the  flat  plain. 
It  was  still  cloudy,  with  no  moon,  but  his  eyes  were  used 
enough  to  the  dark  to  tell  him  that  the  appearance  of 
the  country  had  changed.  It  now  lay  before  him  almost 
as  smooth  as  the  surface  of  a  table,  and,  never  relaxing 
the  swift  gallop,  he  turned  at  another  angle. 

He  was  confident  now  that  the  Sioux  could  not  over 
take  or  find  him.  A  lone  object  in  the  vast  darkness, 
there  was  not  a  chance  in  a  hundred  for  them  to  blunder 
upon  him.  But  the  farther  away  the  better,  and  he  went 
on  for  an  hour.  He  would  not  have  stopped  then,  but 
the  good  pony  suddenly  began  to  quiver,  and  then 
halted  so  abruptly  that  Dick,  rifle  and  all,  shot  over  his 
shoulder.  He  felt  a  stunning  blow,  a  beautiful  set  of 
stars  flashed  before  his  eyes,  and  he  was  gone,  for  the 
time,  to  another  land. 

"When  Dick  awoke  he  felt  very  cold  and  his  head 
ached.  He  was  lying  flat  upon  his  back,  and,  with  in 
voluntary  motion,  he  put  his  hand  to  his  head.  He  felt 
a  bump  there  and  the  hand  came  back  damp  and  stained. 
He  could  see  that  the  fingers  were  red— there  was  light 
enough  for  that  ominous  sight,  although  the  night  had 
not  yet  passed. 

Then  the  flight,  the  danger,  and  his  fall  all  came  back 
in  a  rush  to  Dick.  He  leaped  to  his  feet,  and  the  act 
gave  him  pain,  but  not  enough  to  show  that  any  bone 
was  broken.  His  rifle,  the  plainsman's  staff  and  de 
fense,  lay  at  his  feet.  He  quickly  picked  it  up  and 
found  that  it,  too,  was  unbroken.  In  fact,  it  was  not 

184 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

bent  in  the  slightest,  and  here  his  luck  had  stood  him 
well.  But  ten  feet  away  lay  a  horse,  the  pony  that  had 
been  a  good  friend  to  him  in  need. 

Dick  walked  over  to  the  pony.  It  was  dead  and  cold. 
It  must  have  been  dead  two  or  three  hours  at  least,  and 
he  had  lain  that  long  unconscious.  There  was  a  bullet 
hole  in  its  side  and  Dick  understood  now  the  cause  of 
those  two  shivers,  like  the  momentary  stopping  of  a 
clock's  mechanism.  The  gallant  horse  had  galloped  on 
until  he  was  stopped  only  by  death.  Dick  felt  sadness 
and  pity. 

''  I  hope  you've  gone  to  the  horse  heaven, "  he  mur 
mured. 

Then  he  turned  to  thoughts  of  his  own  position. 
Alone  and  afoot  upon  the  prairie,  with  hostile  and 
mounted  Sioux  somewhere  about,  he  was  still  in  bad 
case.  He  longed  now  for  his  mountains,  the  lost  valley, 
the  warm  cabin,  and  his  brother. 

It  was  quite  dark  and  a  wind,  sharp  with  cold,  was 
blowing.  It  came  over  vast  wastes,  and  as  it  swept  across 
the  swells  kept  up  a  bitter  moaning  sound.  Dick  shiv 
ered  and  fastened  his  deerskin  tunic  a  little  tighter.  He 
looked  up  at  the  sky.  Not  a  star  was  there,  and  sullen 
black  clouds  rolled  very  near  to  the  earth.  The  cold  had 
a  raw  damp  in  it,  and  Dick  feared  those  clouds. 

Had  it  been  day  he  could  have  seen  his  mountains 
and  he  would  have  made  for  them  at  once,  but  now  his 
eyes  did  not  reach  a  hundred  yards,  and  that  bitter, 
moaning  wind  told  him  nothing  save  that  he  must  fight 
hard  against  many  things  if  he  would  keep  the  life  that 
was  in  him.  He  had  lost  all  idea  of  direction.  North 

185 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  south,  east  and  west  were  the  same  to  him,  but  one 
must  go  even  if  one  went  wrong. 

He  tried  all  his  limbs  again  and  found  that  they 
were  sound.  The  wound  on  his  head  had  ceased  to  bleed 
and  the  ache  was  easier.  He  put  his  rifle  on  his  shoul 
der,  waved,  almost  unconsciously,  a  farewell  to  the  horse, 
as  one  leaves  the  grave  of  a  friend,  and  walked  swiftly 
away,  in  what  course  he  knew  not. 

He  felt  much  better  with  motion.  The  blood  began 
to  circulate  more  warmly,  and  hope  sprang  up.  If  only 
that  bitter,  moaning  wind  would  cease.  It  was  inexpress 
ibly  weird  and  dismal.  It  seemed  to  Dick  a  song  of 
desolation,  it  seemed  to  tell  him  at  times  that  it  was  not 
worth  while  to  try,  that,  struggle  as  he  would,  his  doom 
was  only  waiting. 

Dick  looked  up.  The  black  clouds  had  sunk  lower 
and  they  must  open  before  long.  If  only  day  were  near 
at  hand,  then  he  might  choose  the  right  course.  Hark! 
Did  he  not  hear  hoof  beats?  He  paused  in  doubt,  and 
then  lay  down  with  his  ear  to  the  earth.  Then  he  dis 
tinctly  heard  the  sound,  the  regular  tread  of  a  horse, 
urged  forward  in  a  straight  course,  and  he  knew  that 
it  could  be  made  only  by  the  Sioux.  But  the  sound  indi 
cated  only  one  horse,  or  not  more  than  two  or  three  at 
the  most. 

Dick's  courage  sprang  up.  Here  was  a  real  danger 
and  not  the  mysterious  chill  that  the  moaning  of  the 
wind  brought  to  him.  If  the  Sioux  had  found  him,  they 
had  divided,  and  it  was  only  a  few  of  their  number  that 
lie  would  have  to  face.  He  hugged  his  repeating  rifle. 
It  was  a  fine  weapon,  and  just  then  he  was  in  love  with 

186 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

it.  There  was  no  ferocity  in  Dick's  nature,  but  the 
Sioux  were  seeking  the  life  that  he  wished  to  keep. 

He  rose  from  the  earth  and  walked  slowly  on  in  his 
original  course.  He  had  no  doubt  that  the  Sioux,  guided 
by  some  demon  instinct,  would  overtake  him.  He  looked 
around  for  a  good  place  of  defense,  but  saw  none.  Just 
the  same  low  swells,  just  the  same  bare  earth,  and  not 
even  a  gully  like  that  in  which  he  had  lain  while  the 
hunt  of  the  buffalo  wheeled  about  him. 

He  heard  the  hoof  beats  distinctly  now,  and  he  be 
came  quite  sure  that  they  were  made  by  only  a  single 
horseman.  His  own  senses  had  become  preternaturally 
acute,  and,  with  the  conviction  that  he  was  followed  by 
but  one,  came  a  rush  of  shame.  Why  should  he,  strong 
and  armed,  seek  to  evade  a  lone  pursuer?  He  stopped, 
holding  his  rifle  ready,  and  waited,  a  vague,  shadowy 
figure,  black  on  the  black  prairie. 

Dick  saw  the  phantom  horseman  rise  on  a  swell,  the 
faint  figure  of  an  Indian  and  his  pony,  and  there  was  no 
other.  He  was  glad  now  that  he  had  waited.  The  horse, 
trained  for  such  work  as  this,  gave  the  Sioux  warrior  a 
great  advantage,  but  he  would  fight  it  out  with  him. 

Dick  sank  down  on  one  knee  in  order  to  offer  a 
smaller  target,  and  thrust  his  rifle  forward  for  an  in- 
stant  shot.  But  the  Sioux  had  stopped  and  was  looking 
intently  at  the  boy.  For  fully  two  minutes  neither  he 
nor  his  horse  moved,  and  Dick  almost  began  to  believe 
that  he  was  the  victim  of  an  illusion,  the  creation  of  the 
desolate  plains,  the  night,  the  floating  black  vapors,  his 
tense  nerves,  and  heated  imagination.  He  was  tempted 
to  try  a  shot  to  see  if  it  were  real,  but  the  distance  and 

187 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  darkness  were  too  great.  He  strengthened  his  will 
and  remained  crouched  and  still,  his  finger  ready  for 
the  trigger  of  his  rifle. 

The  Sioux  and  his  horse  moved  at  last,  but  they  did 
not  come  forward;  they  rode  slowly  toward  the  right, 
curving  in  a  circle  about  the  kneeling  boy,  but  coming 
no  nearer.  They  were  still  vague  and  indistinct,  but 
they  seemed  blended  into  one,  and  the  supernatural  as 
pect  of  the  misty  form  of  horse  and  rider  was  increased. 
The  horse  trod  lightly  now,  and  Dick  no  longer  heard 
the  sound  of  footsteps,  only  the  bitter  moaning  of  the 
wind  over  the  vast  dark  spaces. 

The  rider  rode  silently  on  in  his  circle  about  the  boy, 
and  Dick  turned  slowly  with  him,  always  facing  the  eyes 
that  faced  him.  He  could  dimly  make  out  the  shape  of 
a  rifle  at  the  saddlebow,  but  the  Sioux  did  not  raise  it, 
he  merely  rode  on  in  that  ceaseless  treadmill  tramp,  and 
Dick  wondered  what  he  meant  to  do.  Was  he  waiting 
for  the  others  to  come  up  ? 

Time  passed  and  there  was  no  sign  of  a  second  horse 
man.  The  single  warrior  still  rode  around  him,  and 
Dick  still  turned  with  him.  He  might  be  coming  nearer 
in  his  ceaseless  curves,  but  Dick  could  not  tell.  Although 
he  was  the  hub  of  the  circle,  he  began  to  have  a  dizzy 
sensation,  as  if  the  world  were  swimming  about  him. 
He  became  benumbed,  as  if  his  head  were  that  of  a 
whirling  dervish. 

Dick  became  quite  sure  now  that  the  warrior  and  his 
horse  were  unreal,  a  creation  of  the  vapors  and  the  mists, 
and  that  he  himself  was  dreaming.  He  saw,  too,  at  last 
that  they  were  coming  nearer,  and  he  felt  horror,  as  if 

188 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

something  demoniac  were  about  to  seize  him  and  drag 
him  down.  He  had  crouched  so  long  that  he  felt  pain  in 
his  knees,  and  all  things  were  becoming  a  blur  before 
his  eyes.  Yet  there  had  not  been  a  sound  but  that  of 
the  bitter,  moaning  wind. 

There  was  a  flash,  a  shot,  the  sigh  of  a  bullet  rush 
ing  past,  and  Dick  came  out  of  his  dream.  The  Sioux 
had  raised  the  rifle  from  his  saddlebow  and  fired.  But 
he  had  been  too  soon.  The  shifting  and  deceptive  qual 
ity  of  the  darkness  caused  him  to  miss.  Dick  promptly 
raised  his  own  rifle  and  fired  in  return.  He  also  missed, 
but  a  second  bullet  from  the  warrior  cut  a  lock  from  his 
temple. 

Dick  was  now  alert  in  every  nerve.  He  had  not 
wanted  the  life  of  this  savage,  but  the  savage  wanted 
his;  it  seemed  also  that  everything  was  in  favor  of  the 
savage  getting  it,  but  his  own  spirit  rose  to  meet  the 
emergency;  he,  too,  became  the  hunter. 

He  sank  a  little  lower  and  saved  his  fire  until  the 
warrior  galloped  nearer.  Then  he  sent  a  bullet  so  close 
that  he  saw  one  of  the  long  eagle  feathers  drop  from 
the  hair  of  the  warrior.  The  sight  gave  him  a  savage 
exultation  that  he  would  have  believed  a  few  hours  be 
fore  impossible  to  him.  The  next  bullet  might  not 
merely  clip  a  feather ! 

The  Sioux,  contrary  to  the  custom  of  the  Indian,  did 
not  utter  a  sound,  nor  did  Dick  say  a  word.  The  combat, 
save  for  the  reports  of  the  rifle  shots,  went  on  in  absolute 
silence.  It  had  lasted  a  full  ten  minutes,  when  the  In 
dian  urged  his  horse  to  a  gallop,  threw  himself  behind 
the  body  and  began  firing  under  the  neck.  A  bullet 

189 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

struck  Dick  in  the  left  arm  and  wounded  him  slightly; 
but  it  did  not  take  any  of  his  strength  and  spirit. 

Dick  sought  in  vain  for  a  sight  of  the  face  of  his 
fleeting  foe.  He  could  catch  only  a  glimpse  of  long, 
trailing  hair  beneath  the  horse's  mane,  and  then  would 
come  the  flash  of  a  rifle  shot.  Another  bullet  clipped  his 
side,  but  only  cut  the  skin.  Nevertheless,  it  stung,  and 
while  it  stung  the  body  it  stung  Dick's  wits  also  into 
keener  action.  He  knew  that  the  Sioux  warrior  was 
steadily  coming  closer  and  closer  in  his  deadly  circle, 
and  in  time  one  of  his  bullets  must  strike  a  vital  spot, 
despite  the  clouds  and  darkness. 

Dick  steadied  himself,  calming  every  nerve  and  mus 
cle.  Then  he  lay  down  on  his  stomach  on  the  plain, 
resting  slightly  on  his  elbow,  and  took  careful  aim  at  the 
flying  pony.  He  felt  some  regret  as  he  looked  down  the 
sights.  This  horse  might  be  as  faithful  and  true  as 
the  one  that  had  carried  him  to  temporary  safety,  but 
he  must  do  the  deed.  He  marked  the  brown  patch  of 
hair  that  lay  over  the  heart  and  pulled  the  trigger. 

Dick's  aim  was  true— the  vapors  and  clouds  had  not 
disturbed  it— and  when  the  rifle  flashed,  the  pony 
bounded  into  the  air  and  fell  dead.  But  the  agile  Sioux 
leaped  clear  and  darted  away.  Dick  marked  his  brown 
body,  and  then  was  his  opportunity  to  send  a  mortal  bul 
let,  but  a  feeling  of  which  he  was  almost  ashamed  held 
his  hand.  His  foe  was  running,  and  he  was  no  longer 
hunted.  The  feeling  lasted  but  a  moment,  and  when  it 
passed,  the  Sioux  was  out  of  range.  A  moment  later  and 
his  misty  form  had  become  a  part  of  the  solid  darkness. 

Dick  stood  upright  once  more.  He  had  been  the  vie- 
190 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

tor  in  a  combat  that  still  had  for  him  all  the  elements 
of  the  ghostly.  He  had  triumphed,  but  just  in  time. 
His  nerves  were  relaxed  and  unstrung,  and  his  hands 
were  damp.  He  carefully  reloaded  all  the  empty  cham 
bers  of  his  repeating  rifle,  and  without  looking  at  the 
falling  horse,  which  he  felt  had  suffered  for  the  wick 
edness  of  another,  strode  away  again  over  the  plain, 
abandoning  the  rifle  of  the  fallen  Sioux  as  a  useless 
burden. 

It  took  Dick  sometime  after  his  fight  with  the  phan 
tom  horseman  to  come  back  to  real  earth.  Then  he  no 
ticed  that  both  the  clouds  and  the  dampness  had  in 
creased,  and  presently  something  cold  and  wet  settled 
upon  his  face.  It  was  a  flake  of  snow,  and  a  troop  came 
at  its  heels,  gentle  but  insistent,  creeping  down  the  collar 
of  his  buckskin  coat,  chilling  his  hands  and  gradually 
whitening  the  earth,  until  it  was  a  gleaming  floor  under 
a  pall  of  darkness. 

Dick  was  in  dismay.  Here  was  a  foe  that  he  could 
not  fight  with  rifle  balls.  He  knew  that  the  heavy  clouds 
would  continue  to  pour  forth  snow,  and  that  the  day, 
which  he  thought  was  not  far  away,  would  disclose  as 
little  as  the  night.  The  white  pall  would  hide  the  moun 
tains  as  well  as  the  black  pall  had  done,  and  he  might 
be  going  farther  and  farther  from  his  valley. 

He  felt  that  he  had  been  released  from  one  danger 
and  then  another,  only  to  encounter  a  third.  It  seemed 
to  him,  in  his  minute  of  despair,  that  Fate  had  resolved 
to  defeat  all  his  efforts,  but,  the  minute  over,  he  renewed 
his  courage  and  trudged  bravely  on,  he  knew  not 
whither.  It  was  fortunate  for  him  that  he  wore  a  pair 

191 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

of  the  heavy  shoes  saved  from  the  wagon,  and  put  on 
for  just  such  a  journey  as  this.  The  wet  from  the  snow 
would  have  soon  soaked  through  his  moccasins,  but,  as 
his  thick  deerskin  leggings  fitted  well  over  his  shoes,  he 
kept  dry,  and  that  was  a  comfort. 

The  snow  came  down  without  wind  and  fuss,  but 
more  heavily  than  ever,  persistent,  unceasing,  and  sure 
of  victory.  It  was  not  particularly  cold,  and  the  walking 
kept  up  a  warm  and  pleasant  circulation  in  Dick 's  veins. 
But  he  knew  that  he  must  not  stop.  Whether  he  was 
going  on  in  a  straight  line  he  had  no  way  to  determine. 
He  had  often  heard  that  men,  lost  on  the  plains,  soon 
begin  to  travel  in  a  circle,  and  he  watched  awhile  for 
his  own  tracks ;  but  if  they  were  there,  they  were  covered 
up  by  the  snow  too  soon  for  him  to  see,  and,  after  all, 
what  did  it  matter  ? 

He  saw  after  a  while  a  pallid  yellowish  light  showing 
dimly  through  the  snow,  and  he  knew  that  it  was  the 
sunrise.  But  it  illuminated  nothing.  The  white  gloom 
began  to  replace  the  black  one.  It  was  soon  full  day, 
but  the  snow  was  so  thick  that  he  could  not  see  more 
than  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  any  direction.  He 
longed  now  for  shelter,  some  kind  of  hollow,  or  perhaps 
a  lone  tree.  The  incessant  fall  of  the  snow  upon  his 
head  and  its  incessant  clogging  under  his  feet  were  tir 
ing  him,  but  he  only  trod  a  plain,  naked  save  for  its 
blanket  of  snow. 

Dick  had  been  careful  to  keep  his  rifle  dry,  putting 
the  barrel  of  it  under  his  long  deerskin  coat.  Once  as 
he  shifted  it,  he  felt  a  lump  over  his  chest,  and  for  an 
instant  or  two  did  not  know  what  caused  it.  Then  he 

192 


THE   TERRIBLE   PURSUIT 

remembered  the  history  and  geography  of  the  United 
States.  He  laughed  with  grim  humor. 

"  I  am  lost  to  history,"  he  murmured,  "  and  the 
geography  will  not  tell  me  where  I  am." 

He  crossed  a  swell— he  knew  them  now  more  by  feel 
ing  than  by  sight— and  before  beginning  the  slight  as 
cent  of  the  next  one  he  stopped  to  eat.  He  had  been 
enough  of  a  frontiersman,  before  starting  upon  such  a 
trip,  to  store  jerked  buffalo  in  the  skin  knapsack  that 
he  had  saved  for  himself.  The  jerked  meat  offered  the 
largest  possible  amount  of  sustenance  in  the  smallest 
possible  space,  and  Dick  ate  eagerly.  Then  he  felt  a 
great  renewal  of  courage  and  strength.  He  also  drank 
of  the  snow  water,  that  is,  he  dissolved  the  snow  in  his 
mouth,  but  he  did  not  like  it  much. 

He  stood  there  for  a  while  resting,  and  resolved  only 
to  walk  enough  to  keep  himself  warm.  Certainly,  noth 
ing  was  to  be  gained  by  exhausting  himself,  and  the 
snow  which  was  now  a  foot  deep  showed  no  signs  of  abat 
ing.  The  white  gloom  hung  all  about  him  and  he  could 
not  see  the  sky  overhead. 

Just  as  he  took  this  resolution,  Dick  saw  a  shadow  in 
the  circling  white.  The  shadow  was  like  that  of  a  man, 
but  before  he  could  see  farther  there  was  a  little  flash 
of  red,  a  sharp,  stinging  report,  and  a  bullet  clipped  the 
skin  of  his  cheek,  burning  like  fire.  Dick  was  startled, 
and  for  full  cause— but  he  recognized  the  Sioux  warrior 
who  had  fought  him  on  horseback.  He  had  stared  too 
long  at  that  man  and  at  a  time  too  deadly  not  to  know 
that  head  and  face  and  the  set  of  his  figure.  He  had 
followed  Dick  through  all  the  hours  and  falling  snow- 

193 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

bent  upon  taking  his  life.  A  second  shot,  quickly  fol 
lowing  the  first,  showed  that  he  meant  to  miss  no  chance. 

The  second  bullet,  like  the  first,  just  grazed  Dick,  and 
mild  of  temper  though  he  habitually  was,  he  was  in 
stantly  seized  with  the  fiercest  rage.  He  could  not  un 
derstand  such  hatred,  such  ferocity,  such  an  eagerness  to 
take  human  life.  And  this  was  the  man  whom  he  had 
spared,  whom  he  could  easily  have  slain  when  he  was 
running!  The  Sioux  was  raising  his  rifle  for  a  third 
bullet,  when  Dick  shot  him  through  the  chest.  There 
Was  no  doubt  about  his  aim  now.  It  was  not  disturbed 
by  the  whitish  mist  and  the  falling  snow. 

The  Sioux  fell  full  length,  without  noise  and  without 
struggle,  and  his  gun  flew  from  his  hand.  His  body  lay 
half  buried  in  the  snow,  some  of  the  long  eagle  feathers 
in  his  hair  thrusting  up  like  the  wing  of  a  slain  bird. 
Dick  looked  at  him  with  shuddering  horror.  All  the 
anger  was  gone  from  him  now,  and  it  is  true  that  in  his 
heart  he  felt  pity  for  this  man,  who  had  striven  so  hard 
and  without  cause  to  take  his  life.  He  would  have  been 
glad  to  go  away  now,  but  he  forced  himself  to  approach 
and  look  down  at  the  Indian. 

The  warrior  lay  partly  on  his  side  with  one  arm 
beneath  his  body.  The  blood  from  the  bullet  hole  in  his 
chest  dyed  the  snow,  and  Dick  believed  that  he  had  been 
killed  instantly.  But  Dick  would  not  touch  him.  He 
could  not  bring  himself  to  do  that.  Nor  would  he  take 
any  of  his  arms.  Instead,  he  turned  away,  after  the 
single  look,  and,  bending  his  head  a  little  to  the  snow, 
walked  rapidly  toward  the  yellowish  glare  that  told 
where  the  sun  was  rising.  He  did  not  know  just  why  he 

194 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

went  in  that  direction,  but  it  seemed  to  him  the  proper 
thing  to  walk  toward  the  morning. 

Two  hours,  perhaps,  passed  and  the  fall  of  snow  be 
gan  to  lighten.  The  flakes  still  came  down  steadily,  but 
not  in  such  a  torrent.  The  area  of  vision  widened.  He 
saw  dimly,  as  through  a  mist,  three  or  four  hundred 
yards,  perhaps,  but  beyond  was  only  the  white  blur,  and 
there  was  nothing  yet  to  tell  him  whether  he  was  going 
toward  the  mountains  or  away  from  them. 

He  rested  and  ate  again.  Then  he  recovered  some 
what,  mentally  as  well  as  physically.  Part  of  the  horror 
of  the  Indian,  his  deadly  pursuit,  and  the  deadly  ending 
passed.  He  ached  with  weariness  and  his  nerves  were 
quite  unstrung,  but  the  snow  would  cease,  the  skies 
would  clear,  and  then  he  could  tell  which  way  lay  the 
mountains  and  his  brother. 

He  rested  here  longer  than  usual  and  studied  the 
plain  as  far  as  he  could  see  it.  He  concluded  that  its 
character  had  changed  somewhat,  that  the  swells  were 
higher  than  they  had  been,  and  he  was  hopeful  that  he 
might  find  shelter  soon,  a  deep  gully,  perhaps,  or  a  shal 
low  prairie  stream  with  sheltering  cottonwoods  along  its 
course. 

Another  hour  passed,  but  he  did  not  make  mucb 
progress.  The  snow  was  now  up  to  his  knees,  and  it 
became  an  effort  to  walk.  The  area  of  vision  had  wid 
ened,  but  no  mountains  yet  showed  through  the  white 
mist.  He  was  becoming  tired  with  a  tiredness  that  was 
scarcely  to  be  borne.  If  he  stood  still  long  enough  to 
rest  he  became  cold,  a  deadly  chill  that  he  knew  to  be 
the  precursor  of  death's  benumbing  sleep  would  creep 

195 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

over  him,  and  then  he  would  force  himself  to  resume  the 
monotonous,  aching  walk. 

Dick's  strength  waned.  His  eyesight,  affected  by  the 
glare  of  the  snow,  became  short  and  unsteady,  and  he 
felt  a  dizziness  of  the  brain.  Things  seemed  to  dance 
about,  but  his  will  was  so  strong  that  he  could  still 
reason  clearly,  and  he  knew  that  he  was  in  desperate 
case.  It  was  his  will  that  resisted  the  impulse  of  his 
flesh  to  throw  his  rifle  away  as  a  useless  burden,  but 
he  laughed  aloud  when  he  thought  of  the  map  of  the 
United  States  in  the  inside  pocket  of  his  coat. 

"  They'll  find  me,  if  they  ever  find  me,  with  that 
upon  me,"  he  said  aloud,  "  and  they,  too,  will  laugh." 

He  stumbled  against  something  and  doubled  his  fist 
angrily  as  if  he  would  strike  a  man  who  had  mali 
ciously  got  in  his  way.  It  was  the  solid  bark  of  a  big 
cottonwood  that  had  stopped  him,  and  his  anger  van 
ished  in  joy.  Where  one  cottonwood  was,  others  were 
likely  to  be,  and  their  presence  betokened  a  stream,  a 
valley,  and  a  shelter  of  some  kind. 

He  was  still  dazed,  suffering  partially  from  snow 
blindness,  but  now  he  saw  a  line  of  sturdy  cottonwoods 
and  beyond  it  another  line.  The  stream,  he  knew,  flowed 
between.  He  went  down  the  line  a  few  hundred  yards 
and  came,  as  he  had  hoped,  into  more  broken  ground. 

The  creek  ran  between  banks  six  or  seven  feet 
high,  with  a  margin  between  stream  and  bank,  and  the 
cottonwoods  on  these  banks  were  reinforced  by  some 
thick  clumps  of  willows.  Betweeen  the  largest  clump 
and  the  line  of  cottonwoods,  with  the  bank  as  a  shelter 
for  the  third  side,  was  a  comparatively  clear  space.  The 

196 


THE    TERRIBLE    PURSUIT 

snow  was  only  a  few  inches  deep  there,  and  Dick  be 
lieved  that  he  could  make  a  shelter.  He  had,  of  course^ 
brought  his  blanket  with  him  in  a  tight  roll  on  his  back, 
-and  he  was  hopeful  enough  to  have  some  thought  of 
building  a  fire. 

He  stepped  into  the  sheltered  space  and  looked  for  a 
point  at  which  to  begin  work.  He  believed  that  by 
prowling  in  the  snow  under  the  cottonwoods  he  could 
find  fallen  and  old  boughs,  which,  with  desperate  efforts, 
he  might  kindle  into  a  flame. 

He  stooped  down  to  feel  in  the  snow  at  a  likely  spot, 
and  the  act  saved  his  life.  A  bullet,  intended  for  his 
head,  was  buried  in  the  snow  beyond  him,  and  a  body 
falling  down  the  bank  lay  quite  still  at  his  feet.  It  was 
the  lone  Sioux.  Wounded  mortally,  he  had  followed 
Dick,  nevertheless,  with  mortal  intent,  crawling,  perhaps 
most  of  the  time,  and  with  his  last  breath  he  had  fired 
what  he  intended  to  be  the  fatal  shot. 

He  was  quite  dead  now,  his  power  for  evil  gone  for 
ever.  There  could  be  no  doubt  about  it.  Dick  at  length 
forced  himself  to  touch  the  face.  It  had  grown  cold  and 
the  pulse  in  the  wrist  was  still.  It  yet  gave  him  a  feel 
ing  of  horror  to  touch  the  Sioux,  but  his  own  struggle 
for  life  would  be  bitter  and  he  could  spare  nothing.  The 
dead  warrior  wore  a  good  blanket,  which  Dick  now  took, 
together  with  his  rifle  and  ammunition,  but  he  left  all 
the  rest.  Then  he  dragged  the  warrior  from  the  shel 
tered  space  to  a  deep  snow  bank,  where  he  sank  him  out 
of  sight.  He  even  took  the  trouble  to  heap  more  snow 
upon  him  in  a  form  of  burial,  and  he  felt  a  great  relief 
when  he  could  no  longer  see  the  savage  brown  features. 

197 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

He  went  back  to  his  sheltered  space,  and,  upon  the 
single  unprotected  side  threw  up  a  high  wall  of  snow, 
so  high  that  it  would  serve  as  a  wind-break.  Then  he 
began  to  search  for  fallen  brushwood.  Meanwhile,  it  , 
was  turning  colder,  and  a  bitter  wind  began  to  moan 
across  the  plain0 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE  FIGHT  WITH   NATURE 

DICK  realized  suddenly  that  he  was  very  cold. 
The  terrible  pursuit  was  over,  ending  mortally 
for  the  pursuer,  but  he  was  menaced  by  a  new 
danger.  Sheltered  though  his  little  valley  was,  he  could, 
nevertheless,  freeze  to  death  in  it  with  great  ease.  In 
fact,  he  had  begun  already  to  shiver,  and  he  noticed 
that  while  his  feet  were  dry,  the  snow  at  last  had  soaked 
through  his  deerskin  leggings  and  he  was  wet  from  knee 
to  ankle.  The  snow  had  ceased,  although  a  white  mist 
hovered  in  a  great  circle  and  the  chill  of  the  wind  was 
increasing  steadily.  He  must  have  a  fire  or  die. 

He  resumed  his  search,  plunging  into  the  snow  banks 
under  the  cottonwoods  and  other  trees,  and  at  last  he 
brought  out  dead  boughs,  which  he  broke  into  short 
pieces  and  piled  in  a  heap  in  the  center  of  the  open 
space.  The  wood  was  damp  on  the  outside,  of  course, 
but  he  expected  nothing  better  and  was  not  discouraged. 
Selecting  a  large,  well-seasoned  piece,  he  carefully  cut 
away  all  the  wet  outside  with  his  strong  hunting  knife. 
Then  he  whittled  off  large  quantities  of  dry  shavings, 
put  them  under  the  heap  of  boughs,  and  took  from  his 
inside  pocket  a  small  package  of  lucifer  matches. 

199 


THE    LAST    OF   THE    CHIEFS 

Dick  struck  one  of  the  matches  across  the  heel  of  his 
shoe.  No  spark  leaped  up.  Instead,  his  heart  sank 
down,  sank  further,  perhaps,  than  it  had  ever  done  be 
fore  in  his  life.  The  match  was  wet.  He  took  another 
from  the  pocket;  it,  too,  was  wet,  and  the  next  and  the 
next  and  all.  The  damp  from  the  snow,  melted  by  the 
heat  of  his  body,  had  penetrated  his  buckskin  coat,  al 
though  in  the  excitement  of  pursuit  and  combat  he  had 
not  noticed  it. 

Dick  was  in  despair.  He  turned  to  the  snow  a  face 
no  less  white.  Had  he  escaped  all  the  dangers  of  the 
Sioux  for  this?  To  freeze  to  death  merely  because  he 
did  not  have  a  dry  lucifer  match?  The  wind  was  still 
rising  and  it  cut  to  his  very  marrow.  Reality  and  imagi 
nation  were  allied,  and  Dick  was  almost  overpowered. 
He  angrily  thrust  the  wet  little  package  of  matches  back 
into  the  inside  pocket  of  his  coat — his  border  training  in 
economy  had  become  so  strong  that  even  in  the  moment 
of  despair  he  would  throw  away  nothing — and  his  hand 
in  the  pocket  came  into  contact  with  something  else, 
small,  hard,  and  polished.  Dick  instantly  felt  a  violent 
revulsion  from  despair  to  hope. 

The  small  object  was  a  sunglass.  That  wagon  train 
was  well  equipped.  Dick  had  made  salvage  of  two  sun 
glasses,  and  in  a  moment  of  forethought  had  given  one 
to  Albert,  keeping  the  other  for  himself,  each  agreeing 
then  and  there  to  carry  his  always  for  the  moment  of 
need  that  might  come. 

Dick  drew  out  the  sunglass  and  fingered  it  as  one 
would  a  diamond  of  great  size.  Then  he  looked  up.  A 
brilliant  sun  was  shining  beyond  white,  misty  clouds, 

200 


THE    FIGHT   WITH   NATURE 

but  its  rays  came  through  them  dim  and  weak.  The 
mists  or,  rather,  cloudy  vapor  might  lift  or  thin,  and  in 
that  chance  lay  the  result  of  his  fight  for  life.  While  he 
waited  a  little,  he  stamped  up  and  down  violently,  and 
threw  his  arms  about  with  energy.  It  did  not  have  much 
effect.  The  wet  cold,  the  raw  kind  that  goes  through, 
was  in  him  and,  despite  all  the  power  of  his  will,  he 
shivered  almost  continually.  But  he  persisted  for  a  half 
hour  and  then  became  conscious  of  an  increasing  bright 
ness  about  him.  The  white  mist  was  not  gone,  but  it 
was  thinning  greatly,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  fell  on  the 
snow  brilliant  and  strong. 

Dick  took  the  dry  stick  again  and  scraped  off  par 
ticles  of  the  wood  so  fine  that  they  were  almost  a  pow 
der.  He  did  not  stop  until  he  had  a  little  heap  more 
than  an  inch  high.  Meanwhile,  the  sun's  rays,  pour 
ing  through  the  whitish  mist,  continued  to  grow  fuller 
and  stronger. 

Dick  carefully  polished  the  glass  and  held  it  at  the 
right  angle  between  the  touchwood,  that  is,  the  scrap 
ings,  and  the  sun.  The  rays  passing  through  the  glass 
increased  many  times  in  power  and  struck  directly  upon 
the  touchwood.  Dick  crouched  over  the  wood  in  order 
to  protect  it  from  the  wind,  and  watched,  his  breath 
constricted,  while  his  life  waited  on  the  chance. 

A  minute,  two  minutes,  three  minutes,  five  passed 
and  then  a  spark  appeared  in  the  touchwood,  and  fol 
lowing  it  came  a  tiny  flame.  Dick  shouted  with  joy 
and  shifted  his  body  a  little  to  put  shavings  on  the 
touchwood.  An  ill  wind  struck  the  feeble  blaze,  which 
was  not  yet  strong  enough  to  stand  fanning  into 

201 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

greater  life,  and  it  went  out,  leaving  a  little  black  ash 
to  mark  where  the  touchwood  had  been. 

Dick's  nerves  were  so  much  overwrought  that  he 
cried  aloud  again,  and  now  it  was  a  cry  of  despair,  not 
of  joy.  He  looked  at  the  little  black  ash  as  if  his  last 
chance  were  gone,  but  his  despair  did  not  last  long. 
He  seized  the  dry  stick  again  and  scraped  off  another 
little  pile  of  touchwood.  Once  more  the  sunglass  and 
once  more  the  dreadful  waiting,  now  longer  than  five 
minutes  and  nearer  ten,  while  Dick  waited  in  terrible 
fear,  lest  the  sun  itself  should  fail  him,  and  go  behind 
impenetrable  clouds. 

But  the  second  spark  came  and  after  it,  as  before, 
followed  the  little  flame.  No  turning  aside  now  to  al 
low  a  cruel  chance  to  an  ill  wind.  Instead,  he  bent  down 
his  body  more  closely  than  ever  to  protect  the  vital 
blaze,  and,  reaching  out  one  cautious  arm,  fed  it  first 
with  the  smallest  of  the  splinters,  and  then  with  the 
larger  in  an  ascending  scale. 

Up  leaped  the  flames,  red  and  strong.  Dick's  body 
could  not  wholly  protect  them  now,  but  they  fought  for 
themselves.  When  the  wind  shrieked  and  whipped 
against  them,  they  waved  back  defiance,  and  the  more  the 
wind  whipped  them,  the  higher  and  stronger  they  grew. 

The  victory  was  with  the  flames,  and  Dick  fed  them 
with  wood,  almost  with  his  body  and  soul,  and  all  the 
time  as  the  wind  bent  them  over  they  crackled  and  ate 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  wood.  He  could  put  on 
damp  wood  now.  The  flames  merely  leaped  out,  licked 
up  the  melted  snow  with  a  hiss  and  a  splutter,  and  en 
veloped  the  stick  in  a  mass  of  glowing  red 

302 


THE    FIGHT    WITH   NATURE 

Dick  fed  his  fire  a  full  half  hour,  hunting  continu 
ally  in  the  snow  under  the  trees  for  brushwood  and 
finding  much  of  it,  enough  to  start  a  second  fire  at  the 
far  end  of  the  sheltered  place,  with  more  left  in  reserve. 
He  spent  another  half  hour  heaping  up  the  snow  as  a 
bulwark  about  his  den,  and  then  sat  down  between  the 
two  fires  to  dry  and  warm,  almost  to  roast  himself. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Dick  understood  how  much 
pleasure  could  be  drawn  from  a  fire  alone.  What  beau 
tiful  red  and  yellow  flames !  What  magnificent  glowing 
coals!  What  a  glorious  thing  to  be  there,  while  the 
wind  above  was  howling  over  the  snowy  and  forlorn 
plain!  His  clothes  dried  rapidly.  He  no  longer  shiv 
ered.  The  grateful  warmth  penetrated  every  fiber  of 
him  and  it  seemed  strange  now  that  he  should  have  been 
in  despair  only  an  hour  ago.  Life  was  a  wonderful  and 
brilliant  thing.  There  was  no  ache  in  his  bones,  and 
the  first  tingling  of  his  hands,  ears,  and  nose  he  had  re 
lieved  with  the  application  of  wet  snow.  Now  he  felt 
only  comfort. 

After  a  while  Dick  ate  again  of  his  jerked  buffalo 
meat,  and  with  the  food,  warmth,  and  rest,  he  began  to 
feel  sleepy.  He  plunged  into  the  snow,  hunted  out  more 
wood  to  add  to  his  reserve,  and  then,  with  the  two  blank 
ets,  the  Indian's  and  his  own,  wrapped  about  him,  sat 
down  where  the  heat  of  the  two  fires  could  reach  him 
from  either  side,  and  with  a  heap  of  the  wood  as  a  rest 
for  his  back. 

Dick  did  not  really  intend  to  go  to  sleep,  but  he  had 
been  through  great  labors  and  dangers  and  had  been 
awake  long.  He  drew  up  one  of  the  blankets  until  it 

203 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

covered  all  of  his  head  and  most  of  his  face,  and  began 
to  gaze  into  the  coals  of  the  larger  fire.  The  wind — 
and  it  was  now  so  cold  that  the  surface  of  the  snow  was 
freezing— still  whistled  over  him,  but  the  blanket  pro 
tected  his  head  from  its  touch.  The  whistle  instead  in 
creased  his  comfort  like  the  patter  of  rain  on  a  roof  to 
him  who  is  dry  inside. 

The  fires  had  now  burned  down  considerably  and  the 
beds  of  coals  were  large  and  beautiful.  They  enveloped 
Dick  in  their  warmth  and  cheer  and  began  to  paint 
splendid  words  of  hope  for  him.  He  could  read  what 
they  said  in  glowing  letters,  but  the  singular  feeling  of 
peace  and  rest  deepened  all  the  while.  He  wondered 
vaguely  that  one  could  be  so  happy. 

The  white  snow  became  less  white,  the  red  fire  less 
red,  and  a  great  gray  mist  came  floating  down  over 
Dick's  eyes.  Up  rose  a  shadowy  world  in  which  all 
things  were  vague  and  wavering.  Then  the  tired  lids 
dropped  down,  the  gray  mist  gave  way  to  a  soft  black 
ness,  and  Dick  sank  peacefully  into  the  valley  of  sleep. 

The  boy  slept  heavily  hour  after  hour,  with  his  hood 
ed  head  sunk  upon  his  knees,  and  his  rifle  lying  across 
his  lap,  while  over  him  shrieked  the  coldest  wind  of  the 
great  northwestern  plains.  The  surface  of  the  frozen 
ground  presented  a  gleaming  sheet  like  ice,  over  which 
the  wind  acquired  new  strength  and  a  sharper  edge,  but 
the  boy  in  his  alcove  remained  safe  and  warm.  Now 
and  then  a  drift  of  fine  snowy  particles  that  would 
have  stung  like  small  shot  was  blown  over  the  barrier, 
but  they  only  struck  upon  the  thick  folds  of  the  blankets 
and  the  boy  slept  on.  The  white  mist  dissolved.  The 

204 


THE    FIGHT    WITH   NATURE 

sun  poured  down  beams  brilliantly  cold  and  hard,  and 
over  them  was  the  loom  of  the  mountains,  but  the  boy 
knew  nothing  of  them,  nor  cared. 

The  fires  ceased  to  flame  and  became  great  masses 
of  glowing  coals  that  would  endure  long.  The  alcove 
was  filled  with  the  grateful  warmth,  and  when  the  sun 
was  in  the  zenith,  Dick  still  slept,  drawing  long,  regular 
breaths  from  a  deep,  strong  chest.  The  afternoon  grew 
and  waned,  twilight  came  over  the  desolate  snow  fields, 
the  loom  of  the  mountains  was  gone,  and  the  twilight 
gave  way  to  an  icy  night. 

When  Dick  awoke  it  was  quite  dark,  save  for  the 
heaps  of  coals  which  still  glowed  and  threw  out  warmth. 
He  felt  at  first  a  little  wonderment  that  he  had  slept  so 
long,  but  he  was  not  alarmed.  His  forethought  and 
energy  had  provided  plenty  of  wood  and  he  threw  on 
fresh  billets.  Once  more  the  flames  leaped  up  to  brighten 
and  to  cheer,  and  Dick,  walking  to  the  edge  of  his  snow 
bank,  looked  over.  The  wind  had  piled  up  the  snow 
there  somewhat  higher  before  the  surface  froze,  and 
across  the  barrier  he  gazed  upon  some  such  scene  as 
one  might  behold  near  the  North  Pole.  He  seemed  to  be 
looking  over  ice  fields  that  stretched  away  to  infinity, 
and  the  wind  certainly  had  a  voice  that  was  a  compound 
of  chill  and  desolation. 

It  was  so  solemn  and  weird  that  Dick  was  glad  to 
duck  down  again  into  his  den,  and  resume  the  seat 
where  he  had  slept  so  long.  He  ate  a  little  and  then 
tried  to  slumber  again,  but  he  had  already  slept  so  much 
that  he  remained  wide  awake.  He  opened  his  eyes  and 
let  them  stay  open,  after  several  vain  efforts. 

205 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

The  moonlight  now  came  out  with  uncommon  bril 
liancy  and  the  plain  glittered.  But  it  was  the  coldest 
moon  that  Dick  had  ever  seen.  He  began  to  feel  deso 
late  and  lonely  again,  and,  since  he  could  not  sleep,  he 
longed  for  something  to  do.  Then  the  knowledge  came 
to  him.  He  put  on  fresh  wood,  and  between  firelight 
and  moonlight  he  could  see  everything  clearly. 

Satisfied  with  his  light,  Dick  took  from  his  pocket 
the  History  of  the  United  States  that  was  accompanying 
him  so  strangely  in  his  adventures,  and  began  to  study 
it.  He  looked  once  more  at  the  map  of  the  Rocky  Moun 
tain  territories,  and  judged  that  he  was  in  Southern 
Montana.  Although  his  curiosity  as  to  the  exact  spot 
in  which  he  lay  haunted  him,  there  was  no  way  to  tell, 
and  turning  the  leaves  away  from  the  map,  he  began  to 
read. 

It  was  chance,  perhaps,  that  made  him  open  at  the 
story  that  never  grows  old  to  American  youth — Valley 
Forge.  It  was  not  a  great  history,  it  had  no  brilliant 
and  vivid  style,  but  the  simple  facts  were  enough  for 
Dick.  He  read  once  more  of  the  last  hope  of  the  great 
man,  never  greater  than  then,  praying  in  the  snow,  and 
his  own  soul  leaped  at  the  sting  of  example.  He  was 
only  a  boy,  obscure,  unknown,  and  the  fate  of  but  two 
rested  with  him,  yet  he,  too,  would  persevere,  and  in  the 
end  his  triumph  also  would  be  complete.  He  read  no 
further,  but  closed  the  book  and  returned  it  carefully 
to  his  pocket.  Then  he  stared  into  the  fire,  which  he 
built  up  higher  that  the  cheerful  light  might  shine  be 
fore  him. 

Dick  did  not  hide  from  himself  even  now  the  dangers 
206 


THE    FIGHT   WITH   NATURE 

of  his  position.  He  was  warm  and  sheltered  for  the 
present,  he  had  enough  of  the  jerked  buffalo  to  last  sev 
eral  days,  but  sooner  or  later  he  must  leave  his  den  and 
invade  the  snowy  plain  with  its  top  crust  of  ice.  This 
snow  might  last  two  or  three  weeks  or  a  month.  He 
had  come  down  from  the  mountains  too  soon.  It  was 
true  that  spring  had  come,  but  it  was  equally  true,  as 
iso  often  happens  in  the  great  Northwest,  that  spring 
had  refused  to  stay. 

Dick  tried  now  to  see  the  mountains.  The  night  was 
full  of  brilliant  moonlight,  but  the  horizon  was  too  lim 
ited;  it  ended  everywhere,  a  black  wall  against  the 
snow,  and,  still  speculating  and  pondering,  Dick  at  last 
fell  asleep  again. 

When  the  boy  awoke  it  was  another  clear,  cold  day, 
with  the  wind  still  blowing,  and  there  in  the  northwest 
he  joyously  saw  the  white  line  of  the  mountains.  He 
believed  that  he  could  recognize  the  shape  of  certain 
peaks  and  ridges,  and  he  fixed  on  a  spot  in  the  blue  sky 
which  he  was  sure  overhung  Castle  Howard. 

Dick  saw  now  that  he  had  been  going  away  from 
the  mountains.  He  was  certainly  farther  than  he  had 
been  when  he  first  met  the  Sioux,  and  it  was  probable 
that  he  had  been  wandering  then  in  an  irregular  course, 
with  its  general  drift  toward  the  southwest.  The  moun 
tains  in  the  thin,  high  air  looked  near,  but  his  experi 
ence  of  the  West  told  him  that  they  were  far,  forty 
miles  perhaps,  and  the  tramp  that  lay  before  him  was 
a  mighty  undertaking.  He  prepared  for  it  at  once. 

He  cut  a  stout  stick  that  would  serve  as  a  cane, 
looked  carefully  to  the  security  of  his  precious  sun- 

207 


THE    LAST   OF   THE    CHIEFS 

glass,  and,  bidding  his  little  den,  which  already  had  be- 
gun  to  wear  some  of  the  aspects  of  a  home,  a  regretful 
farewell,  started  through  the  deep  snow. 

He  had  wrapped  his  head  in  the  Indian 's  blanket, 
covering  everything  but  eyes,  nose,  and  mouth,  and  he 
did  not  suffer  greatly  from  the  bitter  wind.  But  it 
was  weary  work  breaking  the  way  through  the  snow, 
rendered  all  the  more  difficult  by  the  icy  crust  on  top. 
The  snow  rose  to  his  waist  and  he  broke  it  at  first  with 
his  body,  but  by  and  by  he  used  the  stick,  and  thus  he 
plodded  on,  not  making  much  more  than  a  mile  an  hour. 

Dick  longed  now  for  the  shelter  of  the  warm  den. 
The  cold  wind,  despite  the  protection  of  the  blanket, 
began  to  seek  out  the  crannies  in  it  and  sting  his  face. 
He  knew  that  he  was  wet  again  from  ankle  to  knee,  but 
he  struggled  resolutely  on,  alike  for  the  sake  of  keeping 
warm  and  for  the  sake  of  shortening  the  distance.  Yet 
there  were  other  difficulties  than  those  of  the  snow. 
The  ground  became  rough.  Now  and  then  he  would  go 
suddenly  through  the  treacherous  snow  into  an  old  buf 
falo  wallow  or  a  deep  gully,  and  no  agility  could  keep 
him  from  falling  on  his  face  or  side.  This  not  only 
made  him  weary  and  sore,  but  it  was  a  great  trial  to  his 
temper  also,  and  the  climax  came  when  he  went  through 
the  snow  into  a  prairie  brook  and  came  out  with  his 
shoes  full  of  water. 

Dick  shivered,  stamped  his  feet  violently,  and  went 
on  painfully  breaking  his  way  through  the  snow.  He 
began  to  have  that  dull  stupor  of  mind  and  body  again. 
He  could  see  nothing  on  the  surface  of  the  white  plain 
save  himself.  The  world  was  entirely  desolate.  But 

208 


THE    FIGHT   WITH   NATURE 

if  the  Sioux  were  coming  a  second  time  he  did  not  care. 
He  was  amused  at  the  thought  of  the  Sioux  coming. 
They  were  hidden  away  somewhere  in  some  snug  val 
ley,  and  were  too  sensible  to  venture  upon  the  plain. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  wind  became  so  fierce,  and 
Dick  was  so  tired,  that  he  dug  a  hole  in  the  deepest 
snow  bank  he  could  find,  wrapped  the  blankets  tightly 
around  him,  and  crouched  there  for  warmth  and  shelter. 
Then,  when  the  muscles  were  at  rest,  he  began  to  feel 
the  cold  all  through  his  wet  feet  and  legs.  He  took  off 
his  shoes  and  leggings  inside  the  shelter  of  his  blankets, 
and  chafed  feet  and  legs  with  vigorous  hands.  This 
restored  warmth  and  circulation,  but  he  was  compelled 
after  a  while  to  put  on  his  wet  garments  again.  He 
had  gained  a  rest,  however,  and  as  he  did  not  fear  the 
damp  so  much  while  he  was  moving,  he  resumed  the 
painful  march. 

The  mountains  seemed  as  far  away  as  ever,  but  Dick 
knew  that  he  had  come  five  or  six  miles.  He  could  look 
back  and  see  his  own  path  through  the  deep  snow,  wind 
ing  and  zigzagging  toward  the  northwest.  It  would 
wind  and  zigzag  no  matter  how  hard  he  tried  to  go  in 
a  straight  line,  and  finally  he  refused  to  look  back  any 
more  at  the  disclosure  of  his  weakness. 

He  sought  more  trees  before  the  sun  went  down,  as 
his  glass  could  no  longer  be  of  use  without  them,  but 
found  none.  There  could  be  no  fire  for  him  that  night, 
and  digging  another  deep  hole  in  the  snow  he  slept  the 
darkness  through,  nevertheless,  warmly  and  comforta 
bly,  like  an  Eskimo  i*i  his  ice  hut.  He  did  not  suffer  as 
much  as  he  had  tnought  he  would  from  his  wet  shoes 

209 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  leggings,  and  in  the  night,  wrapped  within  the 
blankets,  they  dried  upon  him. 

Dick  spent  the  second  day  in  alternate  tramps  of 
an  hour  and  rests  of  half  an  hour.  He  was  conscious 
that  he  was  growing  weaker  from  this  prodigious  exer 
tion,  hut  he  was  not  willing  to  acknowledge  it.  In  the 
afternoon  he  came  upon  a  grove  of  cottonwoods  and 
some  undergrowth  and  he  tried  to  kindle  a  fire,  but  the 
sun  was  not  strong  enough  for  his  glass,  and,  after  an 
hour's  wasted  effort,  he  gave  it  up,  discouraged  greatly. 
Before  night  the  wind,  which  had  been  from  the  north 
west,  shifted  to  the  southwest  and  became  much  warmer. 
By  and  by  it  snowed  again  heavily  and  Dick,  who  could 
no  longer  see  his  mountains,  being  afraid  that  he  would 
wander  in  the  wrong  direction,  dug  another  burrow  and 
went  to  sleep. 

He  was  awakened  by  the  patter  of  something  warm 
upon  his  face,  and  found  that  the  day  and  rain  had 
come  together.  Dick  once  more  was  struck  to  the  heart 
with  dismay.  How  could  he  stand  this  and  the  snow  to 
gether?  The  plain  would  now  run  rivers  of  water  and 
he  must  trudge  through  a  terrible  mire,  worse  even 
than  the  snow. 

He  imagined  that  he  could  see  his  mountains  through 
the  rain  sheets,  and  he  resumed  his  march,  making  no 
effort  now  to  keep  anything  but  his  rifle  and  ammuni 
tion  dry.  He  crossed  more  than  one  brook,  either  per 
manent  or  made  by  the  rain  and  the  melting  snow,  and 
sloshed  through  the  water,  ankle  deep,  but  paid  no  at 
tention  to  it.  He  walked  with  intervals  of  rest  all 
through  the  day  and  the  night,  and  the  warm  rain  never 

210 


THE    FIGHT   WITH   NATURE 

ceased.  The  snow  melted  at  a  prodigious  rate,  and  Dick 
thought  several  times  in  the  night  that  he  heard  the 
sound  of  plunging  waters.  These  must  be  cataracts 
from  the  snow  and  the  rain,  and  he  was  convinced  that 
he  was  near  the  mountains. 

The  day  came  again,  the  rain  ceased,  the  sun  sprang 
out,  the  warm  winds  blew,  and  there  were  the  moun 
tains.  Perhaps  the  snow  had  not  been  so  heavy  on  them 
as  on  the  plain,  but  most  of  it  was  gone  from  the  peaks 
and  slopes  and  they  stood  up,  sheltering  and  beautiful, 
with  a  shade  of  green  that  the  snow  had  not  been  able 
to  take  away. 

The  sight  put  fresh  courage  in  Dick's  heart,  but  he 
was  very  weak.  He  staggered  as  he  plowed  through  the 
mixed  snow  and  mud,  and  plains  and  mountains  alike 
were  rocking  about  in  a  most  uncertain  fashion. 

In  a  ravine  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  he  saw  a 
herd  of  about  twenty  buffaloes  which  had  probably 
taken  refuge  there  from  the  snowstorm,  but  he  did  not 
molest  them.  Instead,  he  shook  his  rifle  at  them  and 
called  out: 

"  I'm  too  glad  to  escape  with  my  own  life  to  take 
any  of  yours." 

Dick's  brain  was  in  a  feverish  state  and  he  was  not 
wholly  responsible  for  what  he  said  or  did,  but  he  be 
gan  the  ascent  with  a  fairly  good  supply  of  strength 
and  toiled  on  all  the  day.  He  never  knew  where  he 
slept  that  night,  but  he  thinks  it  was  in  a  clump  of  pines, 
and  the  next  morning  when  he  continued,  he  felt  that  he 
had  made  a  wonderful  improvement.  His  feet  were  light 
and  so  was  his  head,  but  he  had  never  before  seen  slopes 

211 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  peaks  and  pines  and  ash  doing  a  daylight  dance. 
They  whirled  about  in  the  most  eccentric  manner,  yet 
it  was  all  exhilarating,  in  thorough  accord  with  his  own 
spirits,  and  Dick  laughed  aloud  in  glee.  What  a  merry, 
funny  world  it  was!  Feet  and  head  both  grew  lighter. 
He  shouted  aloud  and  began  to  sing.  Then  he  felt  so 
strong  and  exuberant  that  he  ran  down  one  of  the  slopes, 
waving  his  cap.  An  elk  sprang  out  of  a  pine  thicket, 
stared  a  moment  or  two  with  startled  eyes  at  the  boy, 
and  then  dashed  away  over  the  mountain. 

Dick  continued  to  sing,  and  waved  his  fur  cap  at 
the  fleeing  elk.  It  was  the  funniest  thing  he  had  ever 
seen  in  his  life.  The  whirling  dance  of  mountain  and 
forest  became  bewildering  in  its  speed  and  violence. 
He  wa*  unable  to  keep  his  feet,  and  plunged  forward 
into  the  arms  of  his  brother  Albert.  Then  everything 
sank  away  from  him. 


CHAPTER   XIII 


WHEN  Dick  opened  his  eyes  again  he  raised  his 
hand  once  more  to  wave  it  at  the  fleeing  elk 
and  then  he  stopped  in  astonishment.  The 
hand  was  singularly  weak.  He  had  made  a  great  effort, 
but  it  did  not  go  up  very  far.  Nor  did  his  eyes,  which 
had  opened  slowly  and  heavily,  see  any  elk.  They  saw 
instead  rows  and  rows  of  furs  and  then  other  rows  hang 
ing  above  one  another.  His  eyes  traveled  downward 
and  they  saw  log  walls  almost  covered  with  furs  and 
skins,  but  with  rifles,  axes,  and  other  weapons  and  imple 
ments  on  hooks  between.  A  heavy  oaken  window  shut 
ter  was  thrown  back  and  a  glorious  golden  sunlight 
poured  into  the  room. 

\  The  sunlight  happened  to  fall  upon  Dick's  own 
hand,  and  that  was  the  next  object  at  which  he  looked. 
His  amazement  increased.  Could  such  a  thin  white 
hand  as  that  belong  to  him  who  had  lately  owned  such 
a  big  red  one  ?  He  surveyed  it  critically,  iii  particular 
the  bones  showing  so  prominently  in  the  back  of  it,  and 
then  he  was  interrupted  by  a  full,  cheerful  voice  wbiok 
called  out: 

"  Enough  of  that  stargazing  and  hand   examina- 
213 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

tion!  Here,  drink  this  soup,  and  while  you're  doing  it, 
I  '11  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  back  in  your  right 
mind!  I  tell  you  you've  been  whooping  out  some  tall 
yarns  about  an  Indian  following  you  for  a  year  or  two 
through  snow  a  mile  or  so  deep !  How  you  fought  him 
for  a  month  without  stopping!  And  how  you  then 
waded  for  another  year  through  snow  two  or  three  times 
as  deep  as  the  first !  ' ' 

It  was  his  brother  Albert,  and  he  lay  en  his  own 
bed  of  furs  and  skins  in  their  own  cabin,  commonly 
called  by  them  Castle  Howard,  snugly  situated  in  the 
lost  or  enchanted  valley.  And  here  was  Albert,  healthy, 
strong,  and  dictatorial,  while  he,  stretched  weakly  upon 
a  bed,  held  out  a  hand  through  which  the  sun  could  al 
most  shine.  Truly,  there  had  been  great  changes! 

He  raised  his  head  as  commanded  by  Albert— the 
thin,  pallid,  drooping  Albert  of  last  summer,  the  lusty, 
red-faced  Albert  of  to-day — and  drank  the  soup,  which 
tasted  very  good  indeed.  He  felt  stronger  and  held  up 
the  thin,  white  hand  to  see  if  it  had  not  grown  fatter 
and  redder  in  the  last  ten  seconds.  Albert  laughed,  and 
it  seemed  to  Dick  such  a  full,  loud  laugh,  as  if  it  were 
drawn  up  from  a  deep,  iron-walled  chest,  inclosing  lungs 
made  of  leather,  with  an  uncommon  expansion.  It 
jarred  upon  Dick.  It  seemed  too  loud  for  so  small  a 
room. 

"  I  see  you  enjoyed  that  soup,  Dick,  old  fellow," 
continued  Albert  in  the  same  thundering  tones.  ' '  Well, 
you  ought  to  like  it.  It  was  chicken  soup,  and  it  was 
made  by  an  artist — myself.  I  shot  a  fat  and  tender 
prairie  hen  down  the  valley,  and  here  she  is  in  soup. 

214 


ALBERT'S   VICTORY 

It's  only  a  step  from  grass  to  pot  and  I  did  it  all  my^ 
self.  Have  another. " 

"  Think  I  will,  "said  Dick. 

He  drank  a  second  tin  plate  of  the  soup,  and  he 
could  feel  life  and  strength  flowing  into  every  vein. 

"  How  did  I  get  here,  Alt  "  he  asked. 

"  That's  a  pretty  hard  question  to  answer,'7  replied 
Albert,  smiling  and  still  filling  the  room  with  his  big 
voice.  "  You  were  partly  brought,  partly  led,  partly 
pushed,  you  partly  walked,  partly  jumped,  and  partly 
crawled,  and  there  were  even  little  stretches  of  the 
march  when  you  were  carried  on  somebody's  shoulder, 
big  and  heavy  as  you  are.  Dick,  I  don't  know  any 
name  for  such  a  mixed  gait.  Words  fail  me." 

Dick  smiled,  too. 

"  Well,  no  matter  how  I  got  here,  it's  certain  that 
I'm  here,"  he  said,  looking  around  contentedly. 

"  Absolutely  sure,  and  it's  equally  as  sure  that 
you've  been  here  five  days.  I,  the  nurse,  I,  the  doctor, 
and  I,  the  spectator,  can  vouch  for  that.  There  were 
times  when  I  had  to  hold  you  in  your  bed,  there  were 
times  when  you  were  so  hot  with  fever  that  I  expected 
to  see  you  burst  into  a  mass  of  red  and  yellow  flames, 
and  most  all  the  while  you  talked  with  a  vividness  and 
imagination  that  I've  never  known  before  outside  of 
the  Arabian  Nights.  Dick,  where  did  you  get  that  idea 
about  a  Sioux  Indian  following  you  all  the  way  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  with  stops  every  half  hour 
for  you  and  him  to  fight  ?  ' ' 

"  It's  true,"  said  Dick,  and  then  he  told  the  eager 
boy  the  story  of  his  escape  from  the  Sioux  band,  the 

215 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

terrible    pursuit,    the    storm,    and    his    dreadful    wan 
dering. 

"  It  was  wonderful  luck  that  I  met  you,  Al,  old  f el- 
low/  '  he  said  devoutly. 

"  Not  luck  exactly,"  said  Albert.  "  You  were  com 
ing  back  to  the  valley  on  our  old  trail,  and,  as  I  had 
grown  very  anxious  about  you,  I  was  out  on  the  same 
path  to  see  if  I  could  see  any  sign  of  you.  It  was 
natural  that  we  should  meet,  but  I  think  that,  after  all, 
Dick,  Providence  had  the  biggest  hand  in  it." 

"  No  doubt,"  said  Dick,  and  after  a  moment's  pause 
he  added,  * '  Did  it  snow  much  up  here  ?  ' ' 

"  But  lightly.  The  clouds  seem  to  have  avoided 
these  mountains.  It  was  only  from  your  delirium  that 
I  gathered  the  news  of  the  great  storm  on  the  plains. 
Now,  I  think  you've  talked  enough  for  an  invalid.  Drop 
your  head  back  on  that  buffalo  robe  and  go  to  sleep 
again. ' ' 

It  seemed  so  amazing  to  Dick  ever  to  receive  orders 
from  Albert  that  he  obeyed  promptly,  closed  his  eyes, 
and  in  five  minutes  was  in  sound  slumber. 

Albert  hovered  about  the  room,  until  he  saw  that 
Dick  was  asleep  and  breathing  strongly  and  regularly. 
Then  he  put  his  hand  upon  Dick's  brow,  and  when  he 
felt  the  temperature  his  own  eyes  were  lighted  up  b^ 
a  fine  smile.  That  forehead,  hot  so  long,  was  cool  now, 
and  it  would  be  only  a  matter  of  a  few  days  until  Dick 
was  his  old,  strong  and  buoyant  self  again.  Albert  never 
told  his  brother  how  he  had  gone  two  days  and  nights 
without  sleep,  watching  every  moment  by  the  delirious 
bedside,  how,  taking  the  chances,  he  had  dosed  him  with 

216 


ALBERT'S   VICTORY 

quinine  from  their  medical  stores,  and  how,  later,  he 
had  cooked  for  him  the  tenderest  and  most  delicate  food. 
Nor  did  he  speak  of  those  awful  hours— so  many  of 
them— when  Dick's  life  might  go  at  any  time. 

Albert  knew  now  that  the  great  crisis  was  oyer, 
and  rejoicing,  he  went  forth  from  Castle  Howard.  It 
was  his  intention  to  kill  another  prairie  chicken  and 
make  more  of  the  soup  that  Dick  liked  so  much.  As 
he  walked,  his  manner  was  expansive,  indicating  a  deep 
satisfaction.  Dick  had  saved  his  life  and  he  had  saved 
Dick's.  But  Dick  was  still  an  invalid  and  it  was  his 
duty,  meanwhile,  to  carry  on  the  business  of  the  valley. 
He  was  sole  workman,  watchman,  and  defender,  and  his 
spirit  rose  to  meet  the  responsibility.  He  would  cer 
tainly  look  after  his  brother  as  well  as  anyone  could 
doit. 

Albert  whistled  as  he  went  along,  and  swung  his 
gun  in  debonair  fashion.  It  would  not  take  him,  an 
expert  borderer  and  woodsman,  long  to  get  that  prairie 
chicken,  and  after  that,  as  he  had  said  before,  it  was 
only  a  step  from  grass  to  pot. 

It  was  perhaps  the  greatest  hour  of  Albert  Howard's 
life.  He,  the  helped,  was  now  the  helper;  he,  the  de 
fended,  was  now  the  defender.  His  chest  could  scarcely 
contain  the  mighty  surge  of  exultation  that  heart  and 
lungs  together  accomplished.  He  was  far  from  having 
any  rejoicings  over  Dick's  prostration;  he  rejoiced  in 
stead  that  he  was  able,  since  the  prostration  had  come, 
to  care  for  both.  He  had  had  the  forethought  and 
courage  to  go  forth  and  seek  for  Dick,  and  the  strength 
to  save  him  when  found 

217 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Albert  broke  into  a  rollicking  whistle  and  he  still 
swung  his  shotgun  somewhat  carelessly  for  a  hunter 
and  marksman.  He  passed  by  one  of  the  geysers  just 
as  it  was  sending  up  its  high  column  of  hot  water  and 
its  higher  column  of  steam.  "  That's  the  way  I  feel, 
old  fellow/ *  he  said.  "  I  could  erupt  with  just  as  much 
force/' 

He  resumed  his  caution  farther  on  and  shot  two  fine, 
fat  prairie  hens,  returning  with  them  to  Castle  Howard 
before  Dick  awoke.  When  Dick  did  awake,  the  second 
installment  of  the  soup  was  ready  for  him  and  he  ate 
it  hungrily.  He  was  naturally  so  strong  and  vigorous 
and  had  lived  such  a  wholesome  life  that  he  recovered, 
now  that  the  crisis  was  passed,  with  astonishing  rapid 
ity.  But  Albert  played  the  benevolent  tyrant  for  a  few 
days  yet,  insisting  that  Dick  should  sleep  a  great  num 
ber  of  hours  out  of  every  twenty-four,  and  making 
him  eat  four  times  a  day  of  the  tenderest  and  most  suc 
culent  things.  He  allowed  him  to  walk  but  a  little  at 
first,  and,  though  the  walks  were  extended  from  day 
to  day,  made  him  keep  inside  when  the  weather  was 
bad. 

Dick  took  it  all,  this  alternate  spoiling  and  over- 
lordship,  with  amazing  mildness.  He  had  some  dim 
perception  of  the  true  state  of  affairs,  and  was  willing 
that  his  brother  should  enjoy  his  triumph  to  the  full. 
But  in  a  week  he  was  entirely  well  again,  thin  and  pale 
yet,  but  with  a  pulsing  tide  in  his  veins  as  strong  as 
ever.  Then  he  and  Albert  took  counsel  with  each  other. 
All  trace  of  snow  was  gone,  even  far  up  on  the  highest 
slope,  and  the  valley  was  a  wonderful  symphony  in 

218 


ALBERT'S    VICTORY 

green  and  gold,  gold  on  the  lake  and  green  on  the  new 
grass  and  the  new  leaves  of  the  trees. 

''It's  quite  settled/'  said  Albert,  "  that  we're  to 
stay  another  year  in  the  valley." 

11  Oh,  yes,"  said  Dick,  "  we  had  already  resolved 
on  that,  and  my  excursion  on  the  plains  shows  that  we 
were  wise  in  doing  so.  But  you  know,  Al,  we  can't  do 
fur  hunting  in  the  spring  and  summer.  Furs  are  not 
in  good  condition  now." 

"  No,"  said  Albert,  "  but  we  can  get  ready  for  the 
fall  and  winter,  and  I  propose  that  we  undertake  right 
away  a  birchbark  canoe.  The  dugout  is  a  little  bit 
heavy  and  awkward,  hard  to  control  in  a  high  wind, 
and  we  '11  really  need  the  birch  bark. ' ' 

11  Good  enough,"  said  Dick.    "  We'll  do  it." 

With  the  habits  of  promptness  and  precision  they  had 
learned  from  old  Mother  Necessity,  they  went  to  work 
at  once,  planning  and  toiling  on  equal  terms,  a  full 
half-and-half  partnership.  Both  were  in  great  spirits. 

In  this  task  they  fell  back  partly  on  talk  that  they 
had  heard  from  some  of  the  men  with  whom  they  had 
started  across  the  plains,  and  partly  on  old  reading,  and 
it  took  quite  a  lot  of  time.  They  looked  first  for  large 
specimens  of  the  white  birch,  and  finally  found  several 
on  one  of  the  lower  slopes.  This  was  the  first  and,  in 
fact,  the  absolutely  vital  requisite.  Without  it  they 
could  do  nothing,  but,  having  located  their  bark  supply, 
they  left  the  trees  and  began  at  the  lake  edge  the  upper 
framework  of  their  canoe,  consisting  of  four  strips  of 
cedar,  two  for  either  side  of  the  boat,  every  one  of  the 
four  having  a  length  of  about  fifteen  feet.  These  strips 

219 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

had  a  width  of  about  an  inch,  with  a  thickness  a  third 
as  great. 

The  strips  were  tied  together  in  pairs  at  the  ends, 
and  the  two  pairs  were  joined  together  at  the  same 
place  after  the  general  fashion  in  use  for  the  construc 
tion  of  such  canoes. 

The  frame  being  ready,  they  went  to  their  white 
birch  trees  for  the  bark.  They  marked  off  the  utmost 
possible  length  on  the  largest  and  finest  tree,  made  a 
straight  cut  through  the  bark  at  either  end,  and  tri 
umphantly  peeled  off  a  splendid  piece,  large  enough  for 
the  entire  canoe.  Then  they  laid  it  on  the  ground  in  a 
nice  smooth  place  and  marked  off  a  distance  two  feet 
less  than  their  framework  or  gunwales.  They  drove  in 
to  the  ground  at  each  end  of  this  space  two  tall  stakes, 
three  inches  apart.  The  bark  was  then  laid  upon  the 
ground  inside  up  and  folded  evenly  throughout  its  en 
tire  length.  After  that  it  was  lifted  and  set  between 
the  stakes  with  the  edges  up.  The  foot  of  bark  project 
ing  beyond  each  stake  was  covered  in  each  case  with 
another  piece  of  bark  folded  firmly  over  it  and  sewed 
to  the  sides  by  means  of  an  awl  and  deer  tendon. 

This  sewing  done,  they  put  a  large  stone  under  each 
end  of  the  bark  construction,  causing  it  to  sag  from  the 
middle  in  either  direction  into  the  curve  suitable  for 
a  canoe.  The  gunwale  which  they  had  constructed  pre 
viously  was  now  fitted  into  the  bark,  and  the  bark  was 
stitched  tightly  to  it,  both  at  top  and  bottom,  with  a 
further  use  of  awl  and  tendon,  the  winding  stitch  being 
used. 

They  now  had  the  outside  of  the  canoe,  but  they  had 
220 


ALBERT'S    VICTORY 

drawn  many  a  long  breath  and  perspired  many  a  big 
drop  before  it  was  done.  They  felt,  however,  that  the 
most  serious  part  of  the  task  was  over,  and  after  a  short 
rest  they  began  on  the  inside,  which  they  lined  with 
long  strips  of  cedar  running  the  full  length  of  the  boat. 
The  pieces  were  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  width  and 
about  a  third  of  an  inch  in  thickness  and  were  fitted 
very  closely  together.  Over  these  they  put  the  ribs  of 
tough  ash,  which  was  very  abundant  in  the  valley  and 
on  the  slopes.  Strips  two  inches  wide  and  a  half  inch 
thick  were  bent  crosswise  across  the  interior  of  the 
curve,  close  together,  and  were  firmly  fastened  under 
the  gunwales  with  a  loop  stitch  of  the  strong  tendon 
through  the  bark. 

To  make  their  canoe  firm  and  steady,  they  securely 
lashed  three  string  pieces  across  it  and  then  smeared 
deeply  all  the  seams  with  pitch,  which  they  were  for 
tunate  enough  to  secure  from  one  of  the  many  strange 
springs  and  exudations  in  the  valley.  They  now  had 
a  strong,  light  canoe,  fifteen  feet  long  and  a  little  over 
two  feet  wide  at  the  center.  They  had  been  compelled  to 
exercise  great  patience  and  endurance  in  this  task,  par 
ticularly  in  the  work  with  the  awl  and  tendons.  Skillful 
as  they  had  become  with  their  hands,  they  acquired  sev 
eral  sore  fingers  in  the  task,  but  their  pride  was  great 
when  it  was  done.  They  launched  the  canoe,  tried  it 
several  times  near  the  shore  in  order  to  detect  invisible 
seams,  and  then,  when  all  such  were  stopped  up  tightly 
with  pitch,  they  paddled  boldly  out  into  deep  and  far 
waters. 

The  practice  they  had  acquired  already  with  the 
221 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

dugout  helped  them  greatly  with  the  birch  bark,  and 
after  one  or  two  duckings  they  handled  it  with  great 
ease.  As  amateurs  sometimes  do,  they  had  achieved 
either  by  plan  or  accident  a  perfect  design  and  found 
that  they  had  a  splendid  canoe.  This  was  demonstrated 
when  the  two  boys  rowed  a  race,  after  Dick  had  recov 
ered  his  full  strength — Dick  in  the  dugout  and  Albert 
in  the  birch  bark.  The  race  was  the  full  length  of  the 
lake,  and  the  younger  and  smaller  boy  won  an  easy 
triumph. 

11  Well  paddled,  Al!  "  said  Dick. 

"  It  wasn't  the  paddling,  Dick,"  replied  Albert, 
"  it  was  light  bark  against  heavy  wood  that  did  it." 

They  were  very  proud  of  their  two  canoes  and  made 
a  little  landing  for  them  in  a  convenient  cove.  Here, 
tied  to  trees  with  skin  lariats,  they  were  safe  from 
wind  and  wave. 

An  evening  or  two  after  the  landing  was  made  se 
cure,  Dick,  who  had  been  out  alone,  came  home  in  the 
dark  and  found  Albert  reading  a  book  by  the  firelight. 

"  What's  this?""  he  exclaimed. 

"  I  took  it  out  of  the  inside  pocket  of  your  coat, 
when  I  helped  you  here  in  the  snow,"  replied  Albert. 
u  I  put  it  on  a  shelf  and  in  the  strain  of  your  illness 
forgot  all  about  it  until  to-day." 

"  That's  my  History  and  Map  of  the  United  States," 
said  Dick,  smiling.  "  I  took  it  from  the  wagon  which 
yielded  up  so  much  to  us.  It  wouldn't  tell  me  where 
I  was  in  the  storm;  but,  do  you  know,  Al,  it  helped  me 
when  I  read  in  there  about  that  greatest  of  all  men 
praying  in  the  snow." 

222 


ALBERT'S    VICTORY 

"  I  know  who  it  is  whom  you  mean,"  said  Albert 
earnestly,  "  and  I  intend  to  read  about  him  and  all  the 
others.  It's  likely,  Dick,  before  another  year  is  past, 
that  you  and  I  will  become  about  the  finest  historians 
of  our  country  to  be  found  anywhere  between  the  At 
lantic  and  Pacific.  Maybe  this  is  the  greatest  treasure 
of  all  that  the  wagon  has  yielded  up  to  us. ' ' 

Albert  was  right.  A  single  volume,  where  no  other 
could  be  obtained,  was  a  precious  treasure  to  them,  and 
it  made  many  an  evening  pass  pleasantly  that  would 
otherwise  have  been  dull.  They  liked  especially  to 
linger  over  the  hardships  of  the  borderers  and  of  their 
countrymen  in  war,  because  they  found  so  many  paral 
lels  to  their  own  case,  and  the  reading  always  brought 
them  new  courage  and  energy. 

They  spent  the  next  month  after  the  completion  of 
the  canoe  in  making  all  kinds  of  traps,  including  some 
huge  dead  falls  for  grizzly  bear  and  silver  tip. 

They  intended  as  soon  as  the  autumn  opened  to  begin 
their  fur  operations  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  those 
of  the  year  before.  Numerous  excursions  into  the  sur 
rounding  mountains  showed  abundant  signs  of  game 
and  no  signs  of  an  invader,  and  they  calculated  that 
if  all  went  well  they  would  have  stored  safely  by  next 
spring  at  least  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  furs. 

The  summer  passed  pleasantly  for  both,  being  filled 
with  work  in  which  they  took  a  great  interest,  and  hence 
a  great  pleasure.  They  found  another  rock  cavity, 
which  they  fitted  up  like  the  first  in  anticipation  of  an 
auspicious  trapping  season. 

"  They  say,  '  don't  put  all  your  eggs  in  one 
223 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

basket,'  "  said  Albert,  "  and  so  we  won't  put  all  our 
furs  in  one  cave.  The  Sioux  may  come  sometime  or 
other,  and  even  if  they  should  get  our  three  residences, 
Castle  Howard,  the  Annex,  and  the  Suburban  Villa, 
and  all  that  is  in  them,  they  are  pretty  sure  to  miss  our 
caves  and  our  furs." 

"  Of  course  some  Indians  must  know  of  this  valley," 
said  Dick,  "  and  most  likely  it's  the  Sioux.  Perhaps 
none  ever  wander  in  here  now,  because  they're  at  war 
with  our  people  and  are  using  all  their  forces  on  the 
plains." 

Albert  thought  it  likely,  and  both  Dick  and  he  had 
moments  when  they  wondered  greatly  what  was  occur 
ring  in  the  world  without.  But,  on  the  whole,  they  were 
not  troubled  much  by  the  affairs  of  the  rest  of  the 
universe. 

Traps,  house  building,  and  curing  food  occupied 
them  throughout  the  summer.  Often  the  days  were 
very  hot  in  the  valley,  which  served  as  a  focus  for  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  but  it  was  invariably  cool,  often  cold,  at 
night.  They  slept  usually  under  a  tent,  or  sometimes, 
on  their  longer  expeditions  in  that  direction,  at  the  bark 
hut.  Dick  made  a  point  of  this,  as  he  resolved  that 
Albert  should  have  no  relapse.  He  could  not  see  any 
danger  of  such  a  catastrophe,  but  he  felt  that  another 
year  of  absolutely  fresh  and  pure  mountain  air,  breathed 
both  night  and  day,  would  put  his  brother  beyond  all 
possible  danger. 

The  life  that  both  led  even  in  the  summer  was  thor 
oughly  hardening.  They  bathed  every  morning,  if  in 
the  tent  by  Castle  Howard,  in  the  torrent,  the  waters 

224 


ALBERT'S    VICTORY 

of  which  were  always  icy,  flowing  as  they  did  from  melt 
ing  snows  on  the  highest  peaks.  They  swam  often  in 
the  lake,  which  was  also  cold  always,  and  at  one  of  the 
hot  springs  they  hollowed  out  a  pool,  where  they  could 
take  a  hot  bath  whenever  they  needed  it. 

The  game  increased  in  the  valley  as  usual  toward 
autumn,  and  they  replenished  their  stores  of  jerked 
meat.  They  had  spared  their  ammunition  entirely 
throughout  the  summer  and  now  they  used  it  only  on 
buffalo,  elk,  and  mule  deer.  They  were  fortunate  enough 
to  catch  several  big  bears  in  their  huge  dead  falls,  and, 
with  very  little  expenditure  of  cartridges,  they  felt  that 
they  could  open  their  second  winter  as  well  equipped 
with  food  as  they  had  been  when  they  began  the  first. 
They  also  put  a  new  bark  thatching  on  the  roof  of  Castle 
Howard,  and  then  felt  ready  for  anything  that  might 
come. 

"  Rain,  hail,  sleet,  snow,  and  ice,  it's  all  the  same 
to  us,"  said  Dick. 

They  did  not  resume  their  trapping  until  October 
came,  as  they  knew  that  the  furs  would  not  be  in  good 
condition  until  then.  They  merely  made  a  good  guess 
that  it  was  October.  They  had  long  since  lost  all  count 
of  days  and  months,  and  took  their  reckoning  from  the 
«hange  of  the  foliage  into  beautiful  reds  and  yellows 
and  the  increasing  coldness  of  the  air. 

It  proved  to  be  a  cold  but  not  rainy  autumn,  a  cir 
cumstance  that  favored  greatly  their  trapping  opera 
tions.  They  had  learned  much  in  the  preceding  winter 
from  observation  and  experience,  and  now  they  put  it 
to  practice.  They  knew  many  of  the  runways  or  paths 

225 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

frequented  by  the  animals,  and  now  they  would  place 
their  traps  in  these,  concealing  them  as  carefully  as 
possible,  and,  acting  on  an  idea  of  Albert's,  they  made 
buckskin  gloves  for  themselves,  with  which  they  handled 
the  traps,  in  order  to  leave,  if  possible,  no  human  odor 
to  warn  the  wary  game.  Such  devices  as  this  and  the 
more  skillful  making  of  their  traps  caused  the  second 
season  to  be  a  greater  success  than  the  first,  good  as  the 
latter  had  been.  They  shot  an  additional  number  of 
buffaloes  and  elk,  but  what  they  sought  in  particular 
was  the  beaver,  and  they  were  lucky  enough  to  find  two 
or  three  new  and  secluded  little  streams,  on  which  he 
had  built  his  dams. 

The  valuable  furs  now  accumulated  rapidly,  and  it 
was  wise  forethought  that  had  made  them  fit  up  the  sec 
ond  cave  or  hollow.  They  were  glad  to  have  two  places 
for  them,  in  case  one  was  discovered  by  an  enemy 
stronger  than  themselves. 

Autumn  turned  into  winter,  with  snow,  slush,  and 
ice-cold  rain.  The  preceding  winter  had  been  mild,  but 
this  bade  fair  to  break  some  records  for  severe  and 
variegated  weather.  Now  came  the  true  test  for  Al 
bert.  To  trudge  all  day  long  in  snow,  icy  rain  or  deep 
slush,  to  paddle  across  the  lake  in  a  nipping  wind,  with 
the  chilly  spray  all  over  him,  to  go  for  hours  soaking 
wet  on  every  inch  of  his  skin — these  were  the  things 
that  would  have  surely  tried  the  dwellers  in  the  houses 
of  men,  even  those  with  healthy  bodies. 

Albert  coughed  a  little  after  his  first  big  soaking, 
but  after  a  hot  bath,  a  big  supper,  and  a  long  night's 
sleep,  it  left,  not  to  return.  He  became  so  thoroughly 

226 


ALBERT'S    VICTORY 

inured  now  to  exposure  that  nothing  seemed  to  affect 
him.  Late  in  December — so  they  reckoned  the  time — 
when,  going  farther  than  usual  into  a  long  crevice  of 
the  mountains,  they  were  overtaken  by  a  heavy  snow 
storm.  They  might  have  reached  the  Suburban  Villa 
by  night,  or  they  might  not,  but  in  any  event  the  going 
would  have  been  full  of  danger,  and  they  decided  to 
camp  in  the  broadest  part  of  the  canyon  in  which  they 
now  were,  not  far  from  the  little  brook  that  flowed 
down  it. 

They  had  matches  with  them — they  were  always  care 
ful  to  keep  them  dry  now — and  after  securing  their  dry 
shavings  they  lighted  a  good  fire.  Then  they  ate  their 
food,  and  looked  up  without  fear  at  the  dark  mountains 
and  the  thick,  driving  snow.  They  were  partially  shel 
tered  by  the  bank  and  some  great  ash  trees,  and,  for 
further  protection,  they  wrapped  about  themselves  the 
blankets,  without  which  they  never  went  on  any  long 
journey. 

Having  each  other  for  company,  the  adventure  was 
like  a  picnic  to  both.  It  was  no  such  desperate  affair  as 
that  of  Dick's  when  he  was  alone  on  the  plain.  They 
further  increased  their  shelter  from  the  snow  by  an 
artful  contrivance  of  brush  and  fallen  boughs,  and  al 
though  enough  still  fell  upon  them  to  make  miserable 
the  house-bred,  they  did  not  care.  Both  fell  asleep  after 
a  while,  with  flurries  of  snow  still  striking  upon  their 
faces,  and  were  awakened  far  in  the  night  by  the  roar 
of  an  avalanche  farther  up  the  canyon;  but  they  soon 
went  to  sleep  again  and  arose  the  next  day  without 
injury. 

227 


THE    LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

Thus  the  winter  passed,  one  of  storm  and  cold,  but 
the  trapping  was  wonderful,  and  each  boy  grew  in  a 
remarkable  manner  in  strength,  endurance,  and  skill. 
When  signs  of  spring  appeared  again,  they  decided  that 
it  was  time  for  them  to  go.  Had  it  not  been  for  Dick's 
misadventure  on  the  plain,  and  their  belief  that  a  great 
war  was  now  in  progress  between  the  Sioux  and  the 
white  people,  one  might  have  gone  out  to  return  with 
horses  or  mules  for  furs,  while  the  other  remained  be 
hind  to  guard  them.  But  in  view  of  all  the  dangers, 
they  resolved  to  keep  together.  The  furs  would  be  se 
creted  and  the  rest  of  their  property  must  take  its  chance, 

So  they  made  ready. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

PRISONERS 

IT  gave  both  Dick  and  Albert  a  severe  wrench  to  leave 
their  beautiful  valley.  They  had  lived  in  it  now 
nearly  two  years,  and  it  had  brought  strength  and 
abounding  life  to  Albert,  infinite  variety,  content,  and 
gratitude  to  Dick,  and  what  seemed  a  fortune — their 
furs — to  both.  It  was  a  beautiful  valley,  in  which  Na 
ture  had  done  for  them  many  strange  and  wonderful 
things,  and  they  loved  it,  the  splendid  lake,  the  grassy 
levels,  the  rushing  streams,  the  noble  groves,  and  the 
great  mountains  all  about. 

"I'd  like  to  live  here,  Dick,"  said  Albert,  "for 
some  years,  anyway.  After  we  take  out  our  furs  and 
sell  'em,  we  can  come  back  and  use  it  as  a  base  for  more 
trapping. ' ' 

"  If  the  Indians  will  let  us,"  said  Dick. 

"  Do  you  think  we'll  meet  'em?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  but  I  believe  the  plains  are  alive 
with  hostile  Sioux." 

But  Albert  could  not  foresee  any  trouble.  He  was 
too  young,  to  sanguine,  too  full  now  of  the  joy  of  life 
to  think  of  difficulties. 

They  chose  their  weapons  for  the  march  with  great 
229 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

care,  each  taking  a  repeating  rifle,  a  revolver,  a  hunting 
knife,  and  a  hatchet,  the  latter  chiefly  for  camping  pur 
poses.  They  also  divided  equally  among  themselves  what 
was  left  of  the  ball  cartridges,  and  each  took  his  sun 
glass  and  half  of  the  remaining  matches.  The  extra 
weapons,  including  the  shotguns  and  shot  cartridges, 
they  hid  with  their  furs.  They  also  put  in  the  caves 
many  more  of  their  most  valuable  possessions,  especially 
the  tools  and  remnants  of  medical  supplies.  They  left 
everything  else  in  their  houses,  just  as  they  were  when 
they  were  using  them,  except  the  bark  hut,  from  which 
they  took  away  all  furnishings,  as  it  was  too  light  to 
resist  the  invasion  of  a  large  wild  beast  like  a  grizzly 
bear.  But  they  fastened  up  Castle  Howard  and  the 
Annex  so  securely  that  no  wandering  beast  could  pos 
sibly  break  in.  They  sunk  their  canoes  in  shallow  wa 
ter  among  reeds,  and  then,  when  each  had  provided 
himself  with  a  large  supply  of  jerked  buffalo  and  deer 
meat  and  a  skin  water  bag,  they  were  ready  to  depart. 

"  We  may  find  our  houses  and  what  is  in  them  all 
right  when  we  come  back,  or  we  may  not, ' '  said  Dick. 

"  But  we  take  the  chance,"  said  Albert  cheerfully. 

Early  on  a  spring  morning  they  started  down  the 
valley  by  the  same  way  in  which  they  had  first  entered 
it.  They  walked  along  in  silence  for  some  minutes,  and 
then,  as  if  by  the  same  impulse,  the  two  turned  and 
looked  back.  There  was  their  house,  which  had  shel 
tered  them  so  snugly  and  so  safely  for  so  long,  almost 
hidden  now  in  the  foliage  of  the  new  spring.  There 
was  a  bit  of  moisture  in  the  eyes  of  Albert,  the  younger 
and  more  sentimental. 

230 


PRISONERS 

"  Good-by,"  he  said,  waving  his  hand.  "  I've  found 
life  here." 

Dick  said  nothing,  and  they  turned  into  the  main 
valley.  They  walked  with  long  and  springy  steps,  left 
the  valley  behind  them,  and  began  to  climb  the  slopes. 
Presently  the  valley  itself  became  invisible,  the  moun 
tains  seeming  to  close  in  and  blot  it  out. 

"  A  stranger  would  have  to  blunder  on  it  to  find  it," 
said  Dick. 

"  I  hope  no  one  will  make  any  such  blunder, "  said 
Albert. 

The  passage  over  the  mountains  was  easy,  the  weather 
continuing  favorable,  and  on  another  sunshiny  morning 
they  reached  the  plains,  which  flowed  out  boundlessly 
before  them.  These,  too,  were  touched  with  green,  but 
the  boys  were  perplexed.  The  space  was  so  vast,  and  it 
was  all  so  much  alike,  that  it  did  not  look  as  if  they 
could  ever  arrive  anywhere. 

"  I  think  we'd  better  make  for  Cheyenne  in  Wyo 
ming  Territory/'  said  Dick. 

' '  But  we  don 't  know  how  far  away  it  is,  nor  in  what 
direction,"  said  Albert. 

"  No;  but  if  we  keep  on  going  we're  bound  to  get 
somewhere.  "We've  got  lots  of  time  before  us,  and  we'll 
take  it  easy." 

They  had  filled  their  skin  water  bags,  made  in  the 
winter,  at  the  last  spring,  and  they  set  out  at  a  moderate 
pace  over  the  plain.  Dick  had  thought  once  of  visiting 
again  the  scene  of  the  train's  destruction  in  the  pass, 
but  Albert  opposed  it. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I  don't  want  to  see  that  place." 
231 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

This  journey,  they  knew  not  whither,  continued  easy 
and  pleasant  throughout  the  day.  The  grass  was  grow 
ing  fast  on  the  plains,  and  all  the  little  streams  that 
wound  now  and  then  between  the  swells  were  full  of 
water,  and,  although  they  still  carried  the  filled  water 
bags,  Dick  inferred  that  they  were  not  likely  to  suffer 
from  thirst.  Late  in  the  afternoon  they  saw  a  small 
herd  of  antelope  and  a  lone  buffalo  grazing  at  a  con 
siderable  distance,  and  Dick  drew  the  second  and  com 
forting  inference  that  game  would  prove  to  be  abundant. 
He  was  so  pleased  with  these  inferences  that  he  stated 
them  to  Albert,  who  promptly  drew  a  third. 

"  Wouldn't  the  presence  of  buffalo  and  antelope  in 
dicate  that  there  are  not  many  Indians  hereabouts  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  It  looks  likely, "  replied  Dick. 

They  continued  southward  until  twilight  came,  when 
they  built  in  a  hollow  a  fire  of  buffalo  chips,  which  were 
abundant  all  over  the  plain,  and  watched  their  friendly 
mountains  sink  away  in  the  dark. 

"  Gives  me  a  sort  of  homesick  feeling,"  said  Albert. 
"  They've  been  good  mountains  to  us.  Shelter  and  home 
are  there,  but  out  here  I  feel  as  if  I  were  stripped  to 
the  wind." 

"  That  describes  it,"  said  Dick. 

They  did  not  keep  any  watch,  but  put  out  their  fire 
and  slept  snugly  in  their  blankets.  They  were  awakened 
in  the  morning  by  the  whine  of  a  coyote  that  did  not 
dare  to  come  too  near,  and  resumed  their  leisurely  march, 
to  continue  in  this  manner  for  several  days,  meeting  no 
human  being  either  white  or  red. 

232 


PRISONERS 

They  saw  the  mountains  sink  behind  the  sky  line  and 
then  they  felt  entirely  without  a  rudder.  There  was 
nothing  to  go  by  now  except  the  sun,  but  they  kept  to 
their  southern  course.  They  were  not  greatly  troubled. 
They  found  plenty  of  game,  as  Dick  had  surmised,  and 
killed  an  antelope  and  a  fat  young  buffalo  cow. 

"  We  may  travel  a  long  journey,  Al,"  said  Dick  with 
some  satisfaction,  "  but  it's  not  hard  on  us.  It's  more 
like  loafing  along  on  an  easy  holiday. " 

On  the  fifth  day  they  ran  into  a  large  buffalo  herd, 
but  did  not  molest  any  of  its  members,  as  they  did  not 
need  fresh  meat. 

"  Seems  to  me,"  said  Dick,  "  that  Sioux  would  be 
after  this  herd  if  they  weren't  busy  elsewhere.  It  looks 
like  more  proof  that  the  Sioux  are  on  the  warpath  and 
are  to  the  eastward  of  us,  fighting  our  own  people." 

"  The  Sioux  are  a  great  and  warlike  tribe,  are  they 
not?  "  asked  Albert. 

The  greatest  and  most  warlike  west  of  the  Missis 
sippi,"  replied  Dick.  "  I  understand  that  they  are 
really  a  group  of  closely  related  tribes  and  can  put 
thousands  of  warriors  in  the  field." 

"  Bright  Sun,  I  suppose,  is  with  them?  " 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so.  He  is  an  Indian,  a  Sioux,  no 
matter  if  he  was  at  white  schools  and  for  years  with 
white  people.  He  must  feel  for  his  own,  just  as  you  and 
I,  Al,  feel  for  our  own  race." 

They  wandered  three  or  four  more  days  across  the 
plains,  and  were  still  without  sign  of  white  man  or  red. 
They  experienced  no  hardship.  Water  was  plentiful. 
Game  was  to  be  had  for  the  stalking,  and  life,  had  they 

233 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

been  hunting  or  exploring,  would  have  been  pleasant; 
but  both  felt  a  sense  of  disappointment — they  never 
came  to  anything.  The  expanse  of  plains  was  bound 
less,  the  loneliness  became  overpowering.  They  had 
not  the  remotest  idea  whether  they  were  traveling 
toward  any  white  settlement.  Human  life  seemed  to 
shun  them. 

"  Dick,"  said  Albert  one  day,  "  do  you  remember 
the  story  of  the  Flying  Dutchman,  how  he  kept  trying 
for  years  to  round  the  Cape  of  Storms,  and  couldn't 
do  it?  I  wonder  if  some  such  penalty  is  put  on  us,  and 
if  so,  what  for?  " 

The  thought  lodged  in  the  minds  of  both.  Oppressed 
by  long  and  fruitless  wanderings,  they  began  to  have  a 
superstition  that  they  were  to  continue  them  forever. 
'They  knew  that  it  was  unreasonable,  but  it  clung,  never 
theless.  There  were  the  rolling  plains,  the  high,  brassy 
sky,  and  the  clear  line  of  the  horizon  on  all  sides,  with 
nothing  that  savored  of  human  life  between. 

They  had  hoped  for  an  emigrant  train,  or  a  wander 
ing  band  of  hunters,  or  possibly  a  troop  of  cavalry,  but 
the  days  passed  and  they  met  none.  Still  the  same  high, 
brassy  sky,  still  the  same  unbroken  horizons.  The  plains 
increased  in  beauty.  There  was  a  fine,  delicate  shade 
of  green  on  the  buffalo  grass,  and  wonderful  little  flowers 
peeped  shy  heads  just  above  the  earth,  but  Dick  and 
Albert  took  little  notice  of  either.  They  had  sunk  into 
an  uncommon  depression.  The  terrible  superstition  that 
they  were  to  wander  forever  was  strengthening  its  hold 
upon  them,  despite  every  effort  of  will  and  reason.  In 
the  hope  of  better  success  they  changed  their  course 

234 


PRISONERS 

two  or  three  times,  continuing  in  each  case  several  daya 
in  that  direction  before  the  next  change  was  made. 

' '  We  've  traveled  around  so  much  now, ' '  said  Albert 
despondently,  "  that  we  couldn't  go  back  to  our  moun 
tains  if  we  wanted  to  do  it.  We  don't  know  any  longer 
in  what  direction  they  lie." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Dick,  with  equal  despondency 
showing  in  his  tone. 

His  comment  was  brief,  because  they  talked  but  little 
now,  and  every  day  were  talking  less.  Their  spirits  were 
affected  too  much  to  permit  any  excess  of  words.  But 
they  came  finally  to  rougher,  much  more  broken  coun 
try,  and  they  saw  a  line  of  trees  on  the  crest  of  hills 
just  under  the  sunset  horizon.  The  sight,  the  break  in 
the  monotony,  the  cheerful  trees  made  them  lift  up  their 
drooping  heads. 

"  Well,  at  any  rate,  here's  something  new,"  said 
Dick.  "  Let's  consider  it  an  omen  of  good  luck,  Al." 

They  reached  the  slope,  a  long  one,  with  many  de 
pressions  and  hollows,  containing  thick  groves  of  large 
trees,  the  heights  beyond  being  crowned  with  trees  of 
much  taller  growth.  They  would  have  gone  to  the  sum 
mit,  but  they  were  tired  with  a  long  day's  tramp  and 
they  had  not  yet  fully  aroused  themselves  from  the 
lethargy  that  had  overtaken  them  in  their  weary  wan 
derings. 

"  Night's  coming,"  said  Albert,  "  so  let's  take  to 
that  hollow  over  there  with  the  scrub  ash  in  it." 

"  All  right,"  said  Dick.    "  Suits  me." 

It  was  a  cozy  little  hollow,  deeply  shaded  by  the  ash 
trees,  but  too  rocky  to  be  damp,  and  they  did  not  take 

235 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  trouble  to  light  a  fire.  They  had  been  living  foir 
sometime  on  fresh  buffalo  and  antelope,  and  had  saved 
their  jerked  meat,  on  which  they  now  drew  for  supper. 

It  was  now  quite  dark,  and  each,  throwing  his  blanket 
lightly  around  his  shoulders,  propped  himself  in  a  com 
fortable  position.  Then,  for  the  first  time  in  days,  they 
began  to  talk  in  the  easy,  idle  fashion  of  those  who  feel 
some  degree  of  contentment,  a  change  made  merely  by 
difference  in  scene,  the  presence  of  hills,  trees,  and  rocks 
after  the  monotonous  world  of  the  plains. 

"  We'll  explore  that  country  to-morrow, "  said  Dick, 
nodding  his  head  toward  the  crest  of  the  hills.  "  Must 
be  something  over  there,  a  river,  a  lake,  and  maybe 
trappers. ' ' 

11  Hope  it  won't  make  me  homesick  again  for  our 
valley,"  said  Albert  sleepily.  "  I've  been  thinking  too 
much  of  it,  anyway,  in  the  last  few  days.  Dick,  wasn't 
that  the  most  beautiful  lake  of  ours  that  you  ever  saw? 
Did  you  ever  see  another  house  as  snug  as  Castle  How 
ard  ?  And  how  about  the  Annex  and  the  Suburban  Villa  1 
And  all  those  beautiful  streams  that  came  jumping  down 
between  the  mountains!  " 

"  If  you  don't  shut  up,  Al,"  said  Dick,  "111  thrash 
you  with  this  good  handy  stick  that  I've  found  here." 

"All  right,"  replied  Albert,  laughing;  "I  didn't 
mean  to  harrow  up  your  feelings  any  more  than  I  did 
my  own." 

Albert  was  tired,  and  the  measure  of  content  that 
he  now  felt  was  soothing.  Hence,  his  drowsiness  in 
creased,  and  in  ten  minutes  he  went  comfortably  to 
sleep.  Dick's  eyes  were  yet  open,  and  he  felt  within 

236 


PRISONERS 

himself  such  new  supplies  of  energy  and  strength  that 
he  resolved  to  explore  a  little.  The  task  that  had  seemed 
so  hard  two  or  three  hours  before  was  quite  easy  now. 
Albert  would  remain  sleeping  safely  where  he  was,  and, 
acting  promptly,  Dick  left  the  hollow,  rifle  on  shoulder. 

It  was  an  easy  slope,  but  a  long  one.  As  he  ascended, 
the  trees  grew  more  thickly  and  near  the  ascent  were 
comparatively  free  from  undergrowth.  Just  over  the 
hill  shone  a  magnificent  full  moon,  touching  the  crest 
with  a  line  of  molten  silver. 

Dick  soon  reached  the  summit  and  looked  down  the 
far  slope  into  a  valley  three  or  four  hundred  yards  deep. 
The  moon  shed  its  full  glory  into  the  valley  and  filled 
it  with  rays  of  light. 

The  valley  was  at  least  two  miles  wide,  and  down 
its  center  flowed  a  fine  young  river,  which  Dick  could 
see  here  and  there  in  stretches,  while  the  rest  was  hid 
den  by  forest.  In  fact,  the  whole  valley  seemed  to  be 
well  clothed  with  mountain  forest,  except  in  one  wide 
space  where  Dick's  gaze  remained  after  it  had  alighted 
once. 

Here  was  human  life,  and  plenty  of  it.  He  looked 
down  upon  a  circle  of  at  least  two  hundred  lodges,  tent^ 
shaped  structures  of  saplings  covered  with  bark,  and  he 
had  heard  quite  enough  about  such  things  to  know  thes* 
were  the  whiter  homes  of  the  Sioux.  The  moonlight 
was  so  clear  and  his  position  so  good  that  he  was  able 
to  see  figures  moving  about  among  the  lodges. 

The  sight  thrilled  Dick.  Here  he  had  truly  come 
upon  human  life,  but  not  the  kind  he  wished  to  see. 
But  it  was  vastly  interesting,  and  he  sought  a  closer 

237 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

look.  His  daring  told  him  to  go  down  the  slope  toward 
them,  and  he  obeyed.  The  descent  was  not  difficult, 
and  there  was  cover  in  abundance — pines,  ash,  and 
oak. 

As  he  was  very  careful,  taking  time  not  to  break  a 
twig  or  set  a  stone  rolling,  and  stopping  at  intervals  to 
look  and  listen,  he  was  a  half  hour  in  reaching  the  val 
ley,  where,  through  the  trees,  he  saw  the  Indian  village. 
He  felt  that  he  was  rash,  but  wishing  to  see,  he  crept 
closer,  the  cover  still  holding  good.  He  was,  in  a  way, 
fascinated  by  what  he  saw.  It  had  the  quality  of  a 
dream,  and  its  very  unreality  made  him  think  less  of 
the  danger.  But  he  really  did  not  know  how  expert 
he  had  become  as  a  woodsman  and  trailer  through  his 
long  training  as  a  trapper,  where  delicacy  of  movement 
and  craft  were  required. 

He  believed  that  the  Indians,  in  such  a  secure  loca 
tion,  would  not  be  stirring  beyond  the  village  at  this 
late  hour,  and  he  had  little  fear  of  anything  except  the 
sharp-nosed  dogs  that  are  always  prowling  about  an 
Indian  village.  He  was  within  three  hundred  yards  of 
the  lodges  when  he  heard  the  faint  sound  of  voices  and 
footsteps.  He  instantly  lay  down  among  the  bushes, 
but  raised  himself  a  little  on  his  elbow  in  order  to  see. 

Three  Indians  were  walking  slowly  along  a  wood 
land  path  toward  the  village,  and  the  presence  of  the 
path  indicated  that  the  village  had  been  here  for  many 
months,  perhaps  was  permanent.  The  Indians  were 
talking  very  earnestly  and  they  made  gestures.  One 
raised  his  voice  a  little  and  turned  toward  one  of  his 
companions,  as  if  he  would  emphasize  his  words.  Then 

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PRISONERS 

Dick  saw  his  face  clearly,  and  drew  a  long  breath  of 
surprise. 

It  was  Bright  Sun,  but  a  Bright  Sun  greatly  changed. 
He  was  wholly  in  native  attire — moccasins,  leggings,  and 
a  beautiful  blue  blanket  draped  about  his  shoulders.  A 
row  of  eagle  feathers  adorned  his  long  black  hair,  but 
it  was  the  look  and  manner  of  the  man  that  had  so  much 
significance.  He  towered  above  the  other  Indians,  who 
were  men  of  no  mean  height;  but  it  was  not  his  height 
either,  it  was  his  face,  the  fire  of  his  eyes,  the  proud 
eagle  beak  which  the  Sioux  had  not  less  than  the  Roman, 
and  the  swift  glance  of  command  that  could  not  be 
denied.  Here  was  a  great  chief,  a  leader  of  men,  and 
Dick  was  ready  to  admit  it. 

He  could  easily  have  shot  Bright  Sun  dead  as  he 
passed,  but  he  did  not  dream  of  doing  such  a  thing. 
Yet  Bright  Sun,  while  seeming  to  play  the  part  of  a 
friend,  had  deliberately  led  the  wagon  train  into  a  fatal 
ambush — of  that  Dick  had  no  doubt.  He  felt,  more 
over,  that  Bright  Sun  was  destined  to  cause  great  woe 
to  the  white  people,  his  own  people,  but  he  could  not 
fire ;  nor  would  he  have  fired  even  if  the  deed  had  been 
without  danger  to  himself. 

Dick,  instead,  gave  Bright  Sun  a  reluctant  admira 
tion.  He  looked  well  enough  as  the  guide  in  white 
men's  clothes,  but  in  his  own  native  dress  he  looked  like 
one  to  be  served,  not  to  serve.  The  three  paused  for  a 
full  two  minutes  exactly  opposite  Dick,  and  he  could 
have  reached  out  and  touched  them  with  the  barrel  of 
his  rifle;  but  they  were  thinking  little  of  the  presence 
of  an  enemy.  Dick  judged  by  the  emphasis  of  their 

239 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

talk  that  it  was  on  a  matter  of  some  great  moment,  and 
he  saw  all  three  of  them  point  at  times  toward  the  east. 

"  It's  surely  war/'  he  thought,  "  and  our  army  is 
somewhere  off  there  in  the  east." 

Dick  saw  that  Bright  Sun  remained  the  dominating 
figure  throughout  the  discussion.  Its  whole  effect  was 
that  of  Bright  Sun  talking  and  the  others  listening.  He 
seemed  to  communicate  his  fire  and  enthusiasm  to  his 
comrades,  and  soon  they  nodded  a  vigorous  assent.  Then 
the  three  walked  silently  away  toward  the  village. 

Dick  rose  from  his  covert,  cast  a  single  glance  at 
the  direction  in  which  the  three  chiefs  had  disappeared, 
and  then  began  to  retrace  his  own  steps.  It  was  his 
purpose  to  arouse  Albert  and  flee  at  once  to  a  less  dan 
gerous  region.  But  the  fate  of  Dick  and  his  brother 
rested  at  that  moment  with  a  mean,  mangy  mongrel  cur, 
such  as  have  always  been  a  part  of  Indian  villages,  a 
cur  that  had  wandered  farther  from  the  village  than 
usual  that  night  upon  some  unknown  errand. 

Dick  had  gone  about  thirty  yards  when  he  became 
conscious  of  a  light,  almost  faint,  pattering  sound  be 
hind  him.  He  stepped  swiftly  into  the  heaviest  shadow 
of  the  trees  and  sought  to  see  what  pursued.  He  thought 
at  first  it  was  some  base-born  wolf  of  the  humblest  tribe, 
but,  when  he  looked  longer,  he  knew  that  it  was  one  of 
the  meanest  of  mean  curs,  a  hideous,  little  yellowish 
animal,  sneaking  in  his  movements,  a  dog  that  one  would 
gladly  kick  out  of  his  way. 

Dick  felt  considerable  contempt  for  himself  because 
he  had  been  alarmed  over  such  a  miserable  little  beast, 
and  resumed  his  swift  walk.  Thirty  yards  farther  he 

240 


PRISONERS 

threw  a  glance  over  his  shoulder,  and  there  was  the 
wretched  cur  still  following.  Dick  did  not  like  it,  con 
sidering  it  an  insult  to  himself  to  be  trailed  by  any 
thing  so  ugly  and  insignificant.  He  picked  up  a  stone, 
but  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  put  it  down  again. 
If  he  threw  the  stone  the  dog  might  bark  or  howl,  and 
that  was  the  last  thing  that  he  wanted.  Already  the 
cur,  mean  and  miserable  as  he  looked,  had  won  a  victory 
over  him. 

Dick  turned  into  a  course  that  he  would  not  have 
taken  otherwise,  thinking  to  shake  off  his  pursuer,  but 
at  the  next  open  space  he  saw  him  still  following,  his 
malignant  red  eyes  fixed  upon  the  boy.  The  cur  would 
not  have  weighed  twenty  cowardly  pounds,  but  he  be 
came  a  horrible  obsession  to  Dick.  He  picked  up  a 
stone  again,  put  it  down  again,  and  for  a  mad  in 
stant  seriously  considered  the  question  of  shooting 
him. 

The  cur  seemed  to  become  alarmed  at  the  second 
threat,  and  broke  suddenly  into  a  sharp,  snarling,  yap 
ping  bark,  much  like  that  of  a  coyote.  It  was  terribly 
loud  in  the  still  night,  and  cold  dread  assailed  Dick  in 
every  nerve.  He  picked  up  the  stone  that  he  had 
dropped,  and  this  time  he  threw  it. 

'  *  You  brute !  M  he  exclaimed,  as  the  stone  whizzed 
by  the  cur's  ear. 

The  cur  returned  the  compliment  of  names  with  in 
terest  compounded  many  times  over.  His  snarling  bark 
became  almost  continuous,  and  although  he  did  not  come 
any  nearer,  he  showed  sharp  white  teeth.  Dick  paused 
in  doubt,  but  when,  from  a  point  nearer  the  village,  he 

241 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

heard  a  bark  in  reply,  then  another,  and  then  a  dozen, 
he  ran  with  all  speed  up  the  slope.  He  knew  without 
looking  back  that  the  cur  was  following,  and  it  made 
him  feel  cold  again. 

Certainly  Dick  had  good  cause  to  run.  All  the  world 
was  up  and  listening  now,  and  most  of  it  was  making 
a  noise,  too.  He  heard  a  tumult  of  barking,  growling, 
and  snapping  toward  the  village,  and  then  above  it  a 
long,  mournful  cry  that  ended  in  an  ominous  note.  Dick 
knew  that  it  was  a  Sioux  war  whoop,  and  that  the  mean, 
miserable  little  cur  had  done  his  work.  The  village 
would  be  at  his  heels.  Seized  with  an  unreasoning  pas 
sion,  he  whirled  about  and  shot  the  cur  dead.  It  was 
a  mad  act,  and  he  instantly  repented  it.  Never  had 
there  been  another  rifle  shot  so  loud.  It  crashed  like 
the  report  of  a  cannon.  Mountain  and  valley  gave  it 
back  in  a  multitude  of  echoes,  and  on  the  last  dying 
echo  came,  not  a  single  war  whoop,  but  the  shout  of 
many,  the  fierce,  insistent,  falsetto  yell  that  has  sounded 
the  doom  of  many  a  borderer. 

Dick  shuddered.  He  had  been  pursued  once  before 
by  a  single  man,  but  he  was  not  afraid  of  a  lone  war 
rior.  Now  a  score  would  be  at  his  heels.  He  might 
shake  them  off  in  the  dark,  but  the  dogs  would  keep 
the  scent,  and  his  chief  object  was  to  go  fast.  He  ran 
up  the  slope  at  his  utmost  speed  for  a  hundred  yards 
or  more,  and  then  remembering  in  tune  to  nurse  his 
strength,  he  slackened  his  footsteps. 

He  had  thought  of  turning  the  pursuit  away  from 
the  hollow  in  which  Albert  lay,  but  now  that  the  alarm 
was  out  they  would  find  him,  anyway,  and  it  was  best 

242 


PRISONERS 

for  the  two  to  stand  or  fall  together.    Hence,  he  went 
straight  for  the  hollow. 

It  was  bitter  work  running  up  a  slope,  but  his  two 
years  of  life  in  the  open  were  a  great  help  to  him  now. 
The  strong  heart  and  the  powerful  lungs  responded 
nobly  to  the  call.  He  ran  lightly,  holding  his  rifle  in 
the  hollow  of  his  arm,  ready  for  use  if  need  be,  and 
he  watched  warily  lest  he  make  an  incautious  footstep 
and  fall.  The  moonlight  was  still  full  and  clear,  but 
when  he  took  an  occasional  hurried  glance  backward 
he  could  not  yet  see  his  pursuers.  He  heard,  now  and 
then,  however,  the  barking  of  a  dog  or  the  cry  -of  a 
warrior. 

Dick  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  there  for  an 
instant  or  two  his  figure  stood,  under  the  pines,  a  black 
silhouette  against  the  moonlight.  Four  or  five  shots 
were  fired  at  the  living  target.  One  bullet  whizzed  so 
near  that  it  seemed  to  Dick  to  scorch  his  face. 

He  had  gathered  fresh  strength,  and  that  hot  bullet 
gave  a  new  impetus  also.  He  ran  down  the  slope  at  great 
speed  now,  and  he  had  calculated  craftily.  He  could 
descend  nearly  twice  as  fast  as  they  could  ascend,  and 
while  they  were  reaching  the  crest  he  would  put  a  wide 
gap  between  them. 

He  kept  well  in  the  shadow  now  as  he  made  with 
long  leaps  straight  toward  the  hollow,  and  he  hoped 
with  every  heart  beat  that  Albert,  aroused  by  the  shots, 
would  be  awake  and  ready.  ' '  Albert !  "  he  cried,  when 
he  was  within  twenty  feet  of  their  camp,  and  his  hope 
was  rewarded.  Albert  was  up,  rifle  in  hand,  crying: 
11  What  is  it,  Dick?  " 

243 


THE    liAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  The  Sioux!  "  exclaimed  Dick.  "  They're  not  far 
away!  You  heard  the  shots!  Come!  " 

He  turned  off  at  an  angle  and  ran  in  a  parallel  line 
along  the  slope,  Albert  by  his  side.  He  wished  to  keep 
to  the  forests  and  thickets,  knowing  they  would  have 
little  chance  of  escape  on  the  plain.  As  they  ran  he 
told  Albert,  in  short,  choppy  sentences,  what  had  hap 
pened. 

"  I  don't  hear  anything,"  said  Albert,  after  ten 
minutes.  "  Maybe  they've  lost  us." 

"  No  such  good  luck!  Those  curs  of  theirs  would 
lead  them.  No,  Al,  we've  got  to  keep  straight  on  as 
long  as  we  can!  " 

Albert  stumbled  on  a  rock,  but,  quickly  recovering 
himself,  put  greater  speed  in  every  jump,  when  he  heard 
the  Indian  shout  behind  them. 

' '  We  've  got  to  shoot  their  dogs, ' '  said  Dick.  ' '  We  '11 
have  no  other  chance  to  shake  them  off." 

"  If  we  get  a  chance,"  replied  Albert. 

But  they  did  not  see  any  chance  just  yet.  They 
heard  the  occasional  howl  of  a  cur,  but  both  curs  and 
Indians  remained  invisible.  Yet  Dick  felt  that  the  pur 
suers  were  gaining.  They  were  numerous,  and  they 
could  spread.  Every  time  he  and  Albert  diverged  from 
a  straight  line — and  they  could  not  help  doing  so  now 
and  then — some  portion  of  the  pursuing  body  came 
nearer.  It  was  the  advantage  that  the  many  had  over 
the  few. 

Dick  prayed  for  darkness,  a  shading  of  the  moon, 
but  it  did  not  come,  and  five  minutes  later  he  saw  the 
yellow  form  of  a  cur  emerge  into  an  open  space.  Ha 

244 


PRISONERS 

took  a  shot  at  it  and  heard  a  howl.  He  did  not  know 
whether  he  had  killed  the  dog  or  not,  but  he  hoped  he 
had  succeeded.  The  shot  brought  forth  a  cry  to  their 
right,  and  then  another  to  the  left.  It  was  obvious  that 
the  Sioux,  besides  being  behind  them,  were  also  on 
either  side  of  them.  They  were  gasping,  too,  from 
their  long  run,  and  knew  they  could  not  continue  much 
farther. 

"  We  can't  shake  them  off,  Al,"  said  Dick,  "  and 
we'll  have  to  fight.  This  is  as  good  a  place  as  any 
other." 

They  dropped  down  into  a  rocky  hollow,  a  depres 
sion  not  more  than  a  foot  deep,  and  lay  on  their  faces, 
gasping  for  breath.  Despite  the  deadly  danger  Dick 
felt  a  certain  relief  that  he  did  not  have  to  run  any 
more — there  comes  a  time  when  a  moment's  physical 
rest  will  overweigh  any  amount  of  mortal  peril. 

' '  If  they  've  surrounded  us,  they  're  very  quiet  about 
?t,"  said  Albert,  when  the  fresh  air  had  flowed  back 
into  his  lungs.  "  I  don't  see  or  hear  anything  at 
all." 

"  At  least  we  don't  hear  those  confounded  dogs  any 
nore,"  said  Dick.  "  Maybe  there  was  only  one  pursu 
ing  us,  and  that  shot  of  mine  got  him.  The  howls  of 
the  cur  upset  my  nerves  more  than  the  shouts  of  the 
Sioux." 

"  Maybe  so,"  said  Albert. 

Then  they  were  both  quite  still.  The  moonlight  was 
silvery  clear,  and  they  could  see  pines,  oaks,  and  cedars 
waving  in  a  gentle  wind,  but  they  saw  nothing  else.  Yet 
Dick  was  well  aware  that  the  Sioux  had  not  abandoned 

245 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

the  chase ;  they  knew  well  where  the  boys  lay,  and 
all  about  them  in  the  woods. 

"  Keep  close,  Albert,"  he  said.  "  Indians  are  sly, 
and  the  Sioux  are  the  slyest  of  them  all.  They're  only 
waiting  until  one  of  us  pops  up  his  head,  thinking 
they're  gone." 

Albert  took  Dick's  advice,  but  so  long  a  time  passed 
without  sign  from  the  Sioux  that  he  began  to  believe 
that,  in  some  mysterious  manner,  they  had  evaded  the 
savages.  The  belief  had  grown  almost  into  a  certainty, 
when  there  was  a  flash  and  a  report  from  a  point  higher 
up  the  slope.  Albert  felt  something  hot  and  stinging 
in  his  face.  But  it  was  only  a  tiny  fragment  of  rock 
chipped  off  by  the  bullet  as  it  passed. 

Both  Dick  and  Albert  lay  closer,  as  if  they  would 
press  themselves  into  the  earth,  and  soon  two  or  three 
more  shots  were  fired.  All  came  from  points  higher  up 
the  slope,  and  none  hit  a  living  target,  though  they 
struck  unpleasantly  close. 

"  I  wish  I  could  see  something,"  exclaimed  Albert 
impatiently.  "  It's  not  pleasant  to  be  shot  at  and  to 
get  no  shot  in  return." 

Dick  did  not  answer.  He  was  watching  a  point 
among  some  scrub  pines  higher  up  the  slope,  where  the 
boughs  seemed  to  him  to  be  waving  too  much  for  the 
slight  wind.  Looking  intently,  he  thought  he  saw  a 
patch  of  brown  through  the  evergreen,  and  he  fired  at 
it.  A  faint  cry  followed  the  shot,  and  Dick  felt  a 
strange  satisfaction;  they  were  hunting  him — well,  he 
had  given  a  blow  in  return. 

Silence  settled  down  again  after  Dick's  shot.     The 
246 


PRISONERS 

boys  lay  perfectly  still,  although  they  could  hear  each 
other 's  breathing.  The  silvery  moonlight  seemed  to  grow 
fuller  and  clearer  all  the  time.  It  flooded  the  whole 
slope.  Boughs  and  twigs  were  sheathed  in  it.  Appar 
ently,  the  moon  looked  down  upon  a  scene  that  was  all 
peace  and  without  the  presence  of  a  human  being. 

"  Do  you  think  they'll  rush  us?  "  whispered  Albert. 

"  No,"  replied  Dick.  "  I've  always  heard  that  the 
Indian  takes  as  little  risk  as  he  possibly  can." 

They  waited  a  little  longer,  and  then  came  a  flare 
of  rifle  shots  from  a  point  farther  up  the  slope.  Brown 
forms  appeared  faintly,  and  Dick  and  Albert,  intent 
and  eager,  began  to  fire  in  reply.  Bullets  sang  by  their 
ears  and  clipped  the  stones  around  them,  but  their  blood 
rose  the  higher  and  they  fired  faster  and  faster. 

"  We'll  drive  'em  back!  "  exclaimed  Dick. 

They  did  not  hear  the  rapid  patter  of  soft,  light 
footsteps  coming  from  another  direction,  until  a  half 
dozen  Sioux  were  upon  them.  Then  the  firing  in  front 
ceased  abruptly,  and  Dick  and  Albert  whirled  to  meet 
their  new  foes. 

It  was  too  late.  Dick  saw  Albert  struggling  in  the 
grasp  of  two  big  warriors,  and  then  saw  and  heard  noth 
ing  more.  He  had  received  a  heavy  blow  on  the  head 
from  the  butt  of  a  rifle  and  became  unconscious. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   INDIAN   VILLAGE 

WHEN  Dick  awoke  from  his  second  period  of 
unconsciousness  it  was  to  awake,  as  he  did 
from  the  first,  under  a  roof,  but  not,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  first,  under  his  own  roof.    He  saw  above 
him  an  immense  sloping  thatch  of  bark  on  poles,  and 
his  eyes,  wandering  lower,  saw  walls  of  bark,  also  fas 
tened  to  poles.    He  himself  was  lying  on  a  large  rush 
mat,  and  beside  the  door  of  the  great  tepee  sat  two  Sioux 
warriors  cleaning  their  rifles. 

Dick's  gaze  rested  upon  the  warriors.  Curiously,  he 
felt  at  that  time  neither  hostility  nor  apprehension.  He 
rather  admired  them.  They  were  fine,  tall  men,  and 
their  bare  arms  and  legs  were  sinewy  and  powerful. 
Then  he  thought  of  Albert.  He  was  nowhere  to  be  seen, 
but  from  the  shadow  of  the  wall  on  his  right  came  a  tall 
figure,  full  of  dignity  and  majesty.  It  was  Bright  Sun, 
who  looked  down  at  Dick  with  a  gaze  that  expressed 
inquiry  rather  than  anger. 

"  Why  have  you  come  here?  "  he  asked. 

Although  Dick's  head  ached  and  he  was  a  captive, 
the  question  made  a  faint  appeal  to  his  sense  of  humor. 

"  I  didn't  come,"  he  replied;  "  I  was  brought." 
248 


THE    INDIAN    VILLAGE 

Bright  Sun  smiled. 

"  That  is  true,"  he  said,  speaking  the  precise  Eng 
lish  of  the  schools,  with  every  word  enunciated  dis 
tinctly.  "  You  were  brought,  and  by  my  warriors;  but 
why  were  you  upon  these  hills?  " 

"  I  give  you  the  best  answer  I  can,  Bright  Sun." 
replied  Dick  frankly;  "  I  don't  know.  My  brother  and 
I  were  lost  upon  the  plains,  and  we  wandered  here. 
Nor  have  I  the  remotest  idea  now  where  I  am." 

"  You  are  in  a  village  of  the  tribe  of  the  Mende- 
wahkanton  Sioux,  of  the  clan  Queyata-oto-we, "  replied 
Bright  Sun  gravely,  "  the  clan  and  tribe  to  which  I 
belong.  The  Mendewahkantons  are  one  of  the  first 
tribes  of  the  Seven  Fireplaces,  or  the  Great  Sioux  Na 
tion.  But  all  are  great — Mendewahkanton,  Wahpeton, 
Sisseton,  Yankton,  Teton,  Ogalala,  and  Hunkpapa— - 
down  to  the  last  clan  of  every  tribe." 

He  had  begun  with  gravity  and  an  3ven  Intonation, 
but  his  voice  rose  with  pride  at  the  last.  Nothing  of 
the  white  man's  training  was  left  to  him  but  the  slow, 
precise  English.  It  was  the  Indian,  the  pride  of  his 
Indian  race,  that  spoke.  Dick  recognized  it  and  re 
spected  it. 

' '  And  this  ?  ' '  said  Dick,  looking  around  at  the  great 
house  of  bark  and  poles  in  which  he  lay. 

"  This,"  replied  Bright  Sun,  pride  again  showing 
in  his  tone,  "  is  the  house  of  the  Akitcita,  our  soldiers 
and  policemen,  the  men  between  twenty  and  forty,  the 
warriors  of  the  first  rank,  who  live  here  in  common,  and 
into  whose  house  women  and  children  may  not  enter. 
I  have  read  in  the  books  at  your  schools  how  the  Spar- 

249 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

tan  young  men  lived  together  as  soldiers  in  a  common 
house,  eating  rough  food  and  doing  the  severest  duty, 
and  the  whole  world  has  long  applauded.  The  Sioux, 
who  never  heard  of  the  Spartans,  have  been  doing  the 
same  far  back  into  the  shadowy  time.  We,  too,  are  a 
race  of  warriors. " 

Dick  looked  with  renewed  interest  at  the  extraordi 
nary  man  before  him,  and  an  amazing  new  suggestion 
found  lodgment  in  his  mind.  Perhaps  the  Sioux  chief 
thought  himself  not  merely  as  good  as  the  white  man, 
but  better,  better  than  any  other  man  except  those  of 
his  own  race.  It  was  so  surprising  that  Dick  forgot 
for  a  moment  the  question  that  he  was  eagerly  awaiting 
a  chance  to  ask — where  was  his  brother  Albert? 

"  I've  always  heard  that  the  Sioux  were  brave/' 
said  Dick  vaguely,  "  and  I  know  they  are  powerful." 

"  We  are  the  Seven  Fireplaces.  What  the  Six  Na 
tions  once  were  in  the  East,  we  now  are  in  the  West, 
save  that  we  are  far  more  numerous  and  powerful,  and 
we  will  not  be  divided.  We  have  leaders  who  see  the 
truth  and  who  know  what  to  do." 

The  pride  in  his  tone  was  tinged  now  with  defiance, 
and  Dick  could  but  look  at  him  in  wonder.  But  his 
mind  now  came  back  to  the  anxious  question: 

"  Where  is  my  brother  Albert,  who  was  taken  with 
me?  You  have  not  killed  him?  " 

"  He  has  not  been  hurt,  although  we  are  at  war  with 
your  people,"  replied  Bright  Sun.  "  He  is  here  in  the 
village,  and  he,  like  you,  is  safe  for  the  present.  Some 
of  the  warriors  wished  to  kill  both  you  and  him,  but  I 
have  learned  wisdom  in  these  matters  from  your  peo- 

250 


THE    INDIAN    VILLAGE 

pie.     Why  throw  away  pawns  that  we  hold?     I  keep 
your  brother  and  you  as  hostages." 

Dick,  who  had  raised  himself  up  in  his  eagerness, 
sank  back  again,  relieved.  He  could  feel  that  Bright 
Sun  told  the  truth,  and  he  had  faith,  too,  in  the  man's 
power  as  well  as  his  word.  Yet  there  was  another  ques 
tion  that  he  wished  to  ask. 

"  Bright  Sun,"  he  said,  "  it  was  you,  our  guide,  who 
led  the  train  into  the  pass  that  all  might  be  killed  ?  ' ' 

Bright  Sun  shrugged  his  shoulders,  but  a  spark 
leaped  from  his  eyes. 

"  What  would  you  ask  of  me?  "  he  replied.  "  In 
your  code  it  was  cunning,  but  the  few  and  small  must 
fight  with  cunning.  The  little  man,  to  confront  the  big 
man,  needs  the  advantage  of  weapons.  The  Sioux  make 
the  last  stand  for  the  Indian  race,  and  we  strike  when 
and  where  we  can." 

The  conscience  of  the  chief  was  clear,  so  far  as  Dick 
could  see,  and  there  was  nothing  that  he  could  say  in 
reply.  It  was  Bright  Sun  Mmself  who  resumed: 

"  But  I  spared  you  and  your  brother.  I  did  that 
which  caused  you  to  be  absent  when  the  others  were 
slain." 

"  Why?  " 

"  Because  you  were  different.  You  were  not  like 
the  others.  It  may  be  that  I  pitied  you,  and  it  may  be 
also  that  I  liked  you — a  little — and — you  were  young." 

The  man's  face  bore  no  more  expression  than  carven 
oak,  but  Dick  was  grateful. 

"  I  thank  you,  Bright  Sun,"  he  said,  "  and  I  know 
that  Albert  thanks  you,  too." 

251 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Bright  Sun  nodded,  and  then  fixed  an  intent  gaz* 
upon  Dick. 

"  You  and  your  brother  escaped,"  he  said.  "  That 
was  nearly  two  years  ago,  and  you  have  not  gone  back 
to  your  people.  Where  have  you  been?  " 

Dick  saw  a  deep  curiosity  lurking  behind  the  intent 
gaze,  but  whatever  he  might  owe  to  Bright  Sun,  he  had 
no  intention  of  gratifying  it. 

1 '  Would  you  tell  me  where  you  have  been  in  the  last 
two  years  and  all  that  you  have  done  ?  ' '  the  chief  asked. 

"  I  cannot  answer;  but  you  see  that  we  have  lived, 
Albert  and  I,"  Dick  replied. 

* '  And  that  you  have  learned  the  virtues  of  silence, ' ' 
said  Bright  Sun.  "  I  ask  you  no  more  about  it  to-day. 
Give  me  your  word  for  the  present  that  you  will  not 
try  to  escape,  and  your  life  and  that  of  your  brother 
will  be  the  easier.  It  would  be  useless,  anyhow,  for  you 
to  make  such  an  attempt.  When  you  feel  that  you  have 
a  chance,  you  can  withdraw  your  promise/' 

Dick  laughed,  and  the  laugh  was  one  of  genuine 
good  humor. 

"  That's  certainly  fair,"  he  said.  "  Since  I  can't 
escape,  I  might  as  well  give  my  promise  not  to  try  it 
for  the  time  being.  Well,  I  give  it." 

Bright  Sun  nodded  gravely. 

"  Your  brother  will  come  in  soon,"  he  said.  "  He 
has  already  given  his  promise,  that  is,  a  conditional  one, 
good  until  he  can  confer  with  you." 

"I'll  confirm  it,"  said  Dick. 

Bright  Sun  saluted  and  left  the  great  lodge.  Some 
warriors  near  the  door  moved  aside  with  the  greatest 

252 


THE    INDIAN   VILLAGE 

deference  to  let  him  pass.  Dick  lay  on  his  rush  mat, 
gazing  after  him,  and  deeply  impressed. 

When  Bright  Sun  was  gone  he  examined  the  lodge 
again.  It  was  obvious  that  it  was  a  great  common  hall 
or  barracks  for  warriors,  and  Bright  Sun's  simile  of  the 
Spartans  was  correct.  More  warriors  came  in,  all  splen 
did,  athletic  young  men  of  a  high  and  confident  bear 
ing.  A  few  were  dressed  in  the  white  man's  costume, 
but  most  of  them  were  in  blankets,  leggings,  and  moc 
casins,  and  had  magnificent  rows  of  feathers  in  their 
hair.  Every  man  carried  a  carbine,  and  most  of  them 
had  revolvers  also.  Such  were  the  Akitcita  or  chosen 
band,  and  in  this  village  of  about  two  hundred  lodges 
they  numbered  sixty  men.  Dick  did  not  know  then  that 
in  times  of  peace  all  guests,  whether  white  or  red,  were 
entertained  in  the  lodge  of  the  Akitcita. 

Impressed  as  he  had  been  by  Bright  Sun,  he  was 
impressed  also  by  these  warriors.  Not  one  of  them  spoke 
to  him  or  annoyed  him  in  any  manner.  They  went  about 
their  tasks,  cleaning  and  polishing  their  weapons,  or 
sitting  on  rough  wooden  benches,  smoking  pipes  with  a 
certain  dignity  that  belonged  to  men  of  strength  and 
courage.  All  around  the  lodge  were  rush  mats,  on  which 
they  slept,  and  near  the  door  was  a  carved  totem  pole. 

A  form  darkened  the  doorway,  and  Albert  came  in. 
He  rushed  to  Dick  when  he  saw  that  he  was  conscious 
again,  and  shook  his  hand  with  great  fervor.  The  war 
riors  went  on  with  their  tasks  or  their  smoking,  and  still 
took  no  notice. 

"  This  is  a  most  wonderful  place,  Dick,"  exclaimed 
the  impressionable  Albert,  ' '  and  Bright  Sun  has  treated 

253 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

us  well.  We  can  go  about  the  village  if  we  give  a 
promise,  for  the  time,  that  we'll  not  try  to  escape." 

"  He's  been  here,"  said  Dick,  "  and  I've  given  it." 

"  Then,  if  you  feel  strong  enough,  let's  go  on  and 
take  a  look." 

"  Wait  until  I  see  if  this  head  of  mine  swims 
around,"  said  Dick. 

He  rose  slowly  to  his  feet,  and  his  bandaged  head 
was  dizzy  at  first,  but  as  he  steadied  himself  it  became 
normal.  Albert  thrust  out  his  hand  to  support  him.  It 
delighted  him  that  he  could  be  again  of  help  to  his  older 
and  bigger  brother,  and  Dick,  divining  Albert's  feel 
ing,  let  it  lie  for  a  minute.  Then  they  went  to  the  door, 
Dick  walking  quite  easily,  as  his  strength  came  back  fast. 

The  warriors  of  the  Akitcita,  of  whom  fully  a  dozen 
were  now  present  in  the  great  lodge,  still  paid  no  atten 
tion  to  the  two  youths,  and  Dick  surmised  that  it  was 
by  the  orders  of  Bright  Sun.  But  this  absolute  ignor 
ing  of  their  existence  was  uncanny,  nevertheless.  Dick 
studied  some  of  the  faces  as  he  passed.  Bold  and  fear 
less  they  were,  and  not  without  a  certain  nobility,  but 
there  was  little  touch  of  gentleness  or  pity,  it  was  rather 
the  strength  of  the  wild  animal,  the  flesh-eater,  that 
seeks  its  prey.  Sioux  they  were,  and  Sioux  they  would 
remain  in  heart,  no  matter  what  happened,  wild  war 
riors  of  the  northwest.  Dick  perceived  this  fact  in  a 
lightning  flash,  but  it  was  the  lightning  flash  of  con 
viction. 

Outside  the  fresh  air  saluted  Dick,  mouth  and  nos 
trils,  and  the  ache  in  his  head  went  quite  away.  He 
had  seen  the  valley  by  moonlight,  when  it  was  beautiful, 

254 


THE    INDIAN   VILLAGE 

but  not  as  beautiful  as  their  own  valley,  the  one  of 
which  they  would  not  tell  to  anybody.  But  it  was  full 
of  interest.  The  village  life,  the  life  of  the  wild,  was 
in  progress  all  about  him,  and  in  the  sunshine,  amidst 
such  picturesque  surroundings,  it  had  much  that  was 
attractive  to  the  strong  and  brave. 

Dick  judged  correctly  that  the  village  contained 
about  two  hundred  winter  lodges  of  bark  and  poles,  and 
could  therefore  furnish  about  four  hundred  warriors. 
It  was  evident,  toox  that  it  was  the  scene  of  prosperity. 
The  flesh  of  buffalo,  elk,  and  deer  was  drying  in  the  sun, 
hanging  from  the  trees  or  on  little  platforms  of  poles. 
Children  played  with  the  dogs  or  practiced  with  small 
bows  and  arrows.  In  the  shadow  of  a  tepee  six  old 
women  sat  gambling,  and  the  two  boys  stopped  to  watch 
them. 

The  Indians  are  more  inveterate  gamblers  than  the 
whites,  and  the  old  women,  wrinkled,  hideous  hags  of 
vast  age,  played  their  game  with  an  intent,  almost 
breathless,  interest. 

They  were  playing  Woskate  Tanpan,  or  the  game  of 
dice,  as  it  is  known  to  the  Sioux.  Three  women  were  on 
each  side,  and  they  played  it  with  tanpan  (the  basket), 
kansu  (the  dice),  and  canyiwawa  (the  counting  sticks). 
The  tanpan,  made  of  willow  twigs,  was  a  tiny  basket, 
about  three  inches  in  diameter  at  the  bottom,  but  broader 
at  the  top,  and  about  two  inches  deep.  Into  this  one 
woman  would  put  the  kansu  or  dice,  a  set  of  six  plum 
stones,  some  carved  and  some  not  carved.  She  would 
put  her  hand  over  the  tanpan,  shake  the  kansu  just  as 
the  white  dice  player  does,  and  then  throw  them.  out. 

255 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

The  value  of  the  throw  would  be  according  to  the  kind 
and  number  of  carvings  that  were  turned  up  when  the 
kansu  fell. 

The  opposing  sides,  three  each,  sat  facing  each  other, 
and  the  stakes  for  which  they  played — canyiwawa  (the 
counting  sticks) — lay  between  them.  These  were  little 
round  sticks  about  the  thickness  of  a  lead  pencil,  and 
the  size  of  each  heap  went  up  or  down,  as  fortune  shifted 
back  or  forth.  They  could  make  the  counting  sticks 
represent  whatever  value  they  chose,  this  being  agreed 
upon  beforehand,  and  old  Sioux  women  had  been  known 
to  play  Woskate  Tanpan  two  days  and  nights  without 
ever  rising  from  their  seats. 

11  What  old  harpies  they  are!  "  said  Dick.  "  Did 
7011  ever  see  anybody  so  eager  over  anything?  " 

"  They  are  no  worse  than  the  men,"  replied  Albert. 
"  A  lot  of  warriors  are  gambling,  too." 

A  group  of  the  men  were  gathered  on  a  little  green 
farther  on,  and  the  brothers  joined  them,  beginning  to 
share  at  once  the  interest  that  the  spectators  showed  in 
several  warriors  who  were  playing  Woskate  Painyan- 
kapi,  or  the  game  of  the  Wands  and  the  Hoop. 

The  warriors  used  in  this  sport  canyleska  (the  hoop) 
and  cansakala  (the  wands).  The  hoops  were  of  ash,  two 
of  three  feet  in  diameter,  the  ash  itself  being  about  an 
inch  in  diameter.  Every  hoop  was  carefully  marked  oftf 
into  spaces,  something  like  the  face  of  a  watch. 

Cansakala  (the  wands)  were  of  chokecherry,  fou* 
feet  long  and  three  fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  One 
end  of  every  wand  was  squared  for  a  distance  of  about 
a  foot.  The  wands  were  in  pairs,  the  two  being  fas- 

256 


THE    INDIAN    VILLAGE 

tened  together  with  buckskin  thongs  about  nine  inches 
in  length,  and  fastened  at  a  point  about  one  third  of 
the  length  of  the  wands  from  the  rounded  ends. 

A  warrior  would  roll  the  hoop,  and  he  was  required 
to  roll  it  straight  and  correctly.  If  he  did  not  do  so, 
the  umpire  made  him  roll  it  over,  as  in  the  white  man's 
game  of  baseball  the  pitcher  cannot  get  a  strike  until 
he  pitches  the  ball  right. 

When  the  hoop  was  rolled  correctly,  the  opposing 
player  dropped  his  pair  of  wands  somewhere  in  front 
of  it.  It  was  his  object  so  to  calculate  the  speed  and 
course  of  the  hoop  that  when  it  fell  it  would  lie  upon 
his  wands.  If  he  succeeded,  he  secured  his  points  ac 
cording  to  the  spaces  on  each  wand  within  which  the 
hoop  lay — an  exceedingly  difficult  game,  requiring  great 
skill  of  hand  and  judgment  of  eye.  That  it  was  absorb 
ing  was  shown  by  the  great  interest  with  which  the  spec 
tators  followed  it  and  by  their  eager  betting. 

"  I  don't  believe  I  could  learn  to  do  that  in  ten 
years,"  said  Albert;  "  you've  got  to  combine  too  many 
things,  and  to  combine  them  fast." 

"  They  must  begin  on  it  while  they're  young,"  said 
Dick;  "  but  the  Indian  has  a  mind,  and  don't  you  for 
get  it." 

"  But  they're  not  as  we  are,"  rejoined  Albert. 
lt  Nothing  can  ever  make  them  so." 

Here,  as  in  the  house  of  the  Akitcita,  nobody  paid 
any  attention  to  the  two  boys,  but  Dick  began  to  have 
a  feeling  that  he  was  watched,  not  watched  openly  as 
man  watches  man,  but  in  the  furtive,  dangerous  way  of 
the  great  wild  beasts,  the  man-eaters.  The  feeling  grew 

257 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

into  a  conviction  that,  despite  what  they  were  doing, 
everybody  in  the  camp — warrior,  squaw,  and  child — was 
watching  Albert  and  him.  He  knew  that  half  of  this 
was  fancy,  but  he  was  sure  that  the  other  half  was  real. 

11  Albert,"  he  said,  "  I  wouldn't  make  any  break 
for  liberty  now,  even  if  I  hadn  't  given  my  promise. ' ' 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Albert.  "  By  the  time  we  had  gone 
ten  feet  the  whole  village  would  be  on  top  of  us.  Dick, 
while  I'm  here  I'm  going  to  make  the  best  of  it  I  can." 

In  pursuance  of  this  worthy  intention  Albert  pressed 
forward  and  almost  took  the  cansakala  from  the  hands 
of  a  stalwart  warrior.  The  man,  amazed  at  first,  yielded 
up  the  pair  of  wands  with  a  grin.  Albert  signaled  im 
periously  to  the  warrior  with  the  hoop,  and  he,  too, 
grinning,  sent  canyleska  whirling. 

Albert  cast  the  wands,  and  the  hoop  fell  many  feet 
from  them.  A  shout  of  laughter  arose.  The  white 
youth  was  showing  himself  a  poor  match  for  the  Sioux, 
and  the  women  and  children  came  running  to  see  this 
proof  of  the  superiority  of  their  race. 

The  warrior  from  whom  he  had  taken  them  gravely 
picked  up  cansakala  and  handed  them  back  to  Albert, 
the  other  warrior  again  sent  canyleska  rolling,  and  again 
Albert  threw  the  wands  with  the  same  ill  fortune.  A 
third  and  a  fourth  time  he  tried,  with  but  slight  improve 
ment,  and  the  crowd,  well  pleased  to  see  him  fail,  thick 
ened  all  the  time,  until  nearly  the  whole  village  was 
present. 

"  It's  just  as  hard  as  we  thought  it  was,  Dick,  and 
harder,"  said  Albert  ruefully.  "  Here,  you  take  it  and 
see  what  you  can  do." 

258 


THE    INDIAN    VILLAGE 

He  handed  cansakala  to  Dick,  who  also  tried  in  vain, 
while  the  crowd  enjoyed  the  sport,  laughing  and  chat 
tering  to  one  another,  as  they  will  in  their  own  vil 
lages.  Dick  made  a  little  more  progress  than  Albert 
had  achieved,  but  not  enough  to  score  any  points  worth 
mentioning,  and  he,  too,  retired  discomfited,  while  the 
Sioux,  especially  the  women,  continued  to  laugh. 

"  I  don't  like  to  be  beaten  that  way,"  said  Albert 
in  a  nettled  tone. 

"  Never  mind,  Al,  old  fellow,"  said  Dick  soothingly. 
"  Remember  it's  their  game,  not  ours,  and  as  it  makes 
them  feel  good,  it's  all  the  better  for  us.  Since  they've 
beaten  us,  they're  apt  to  like  us  and  treat  us  better." 

It  was  hard  for  Albert  to  take  the  more  philosoph 
ical  view,  which  was  also  the  truthful  one,  but  he  did 
his  best  to  reconcile  himself,  and  he  and  Dick  moved 
on  to  other  sights. 

Dick  noticed  that  the  village  had  been  located  with 
great  judgment.  On  one  side  was  the  river,  narrow  but 
swift  and  deep ;  on  the  other,  a  broad  open  space  that 
would  not  permit  an  enemy  to  approach  through  am 
bush,  and  beyond  that  the  forest. 

The  tepees  stood  in  a  great  circle,  and,  although  Dick 
did  not  know  it,  their  camps  were  always  pitched  ac 
cording  to  rule,  each  gens  or  clan  having  its  regular 
place  in  the  circle.  The  tribe  of  the  Mendewahkantons 
— a  leading  one  of  the  Seven  Fireplaces  or  Council  Fires 
of  the  great  Sioux  nation— was  subdivided  into  seven 
gentes  or  clans;  the  Kiyukas,  or  Breakers,  so  called 
because  they  disregarded  the  general  marriage  law  and 
married  outside  their  own  clan;  the  Que-mini-tea,  or 

259 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Mountain  Wood  and  Water  people;  the  Kap'oja,  or 
Light  Travelers;  the  Maxa-yuta-eui,  the  People  who 
Eat  no  Grease;  the  Queyata-oto-we,  or  the  People  of 
the  Village  Back  from  the  River;  the  Oyata  Citca,  the 
Bad  Nation,  and  the  Tita-otowe,  the  People  of  the  Vil 
lage  on  the  Prairie. 

Every  clan  was  composed  of  related  families,  and  all 
this  great  tribe,  as  the  boys  learned  later,  had  once 
dwelled  around  Spirit  Lake,  Minnesota,  their  name 
meaning  Mysterious  Lake  Dwellers,  but  had  been  pushed 
westward  years  before  by  the  advancing  wave  of  white 
settlement.  This  was  now  a  composite  village,  including 
parts  of  every  gens  of  the  Mendewahkantons,  but  there 
were  other  villages  of  the  same  tribe  scattered  over  a 
large  area. 

When  Dick  and  Albert  reached  the  northern  end  of 
the  village  they  saw  a  great  number  of  Indian  ponies, 
six  or  seven  hundred  perhaps,  grazing  in  a  wide  grassy 
space  and  guarded  by  half -grown  Indian  boys. 

"  Dick,"  said  Albert,  "if  we  only  had  a  dozen  of 
those  we  could  go  back  and  get  our  furs." 

11  Yes,"  said  Dick,  "if  we  had  the  ponies,  if  we 
knew  where  we  are  now,  if  we  were  free  of  the  Sioux 
village,  and  if  we  could  find  the  way  to  our  valley,  we 
might  do  what  you  say." 

11  Yes,  it  does  take  a  pile  of  '  ifs,'  "  said  Albert, 
laughing,  "  and  so  I  won't  expect  it.  I'll  try  to  be  re 
signed." 

So  free  were  they  from  any  immediate  restriction 
that  it  almost  seemed  to  them  that  they  could  walk  away 
as  they  chose,  up  the  valley  and  over  the  hills  and  across 

260 


THE    INDIAN   VILLAGE 

the  plains.  How  were  the  Sioux  to  know  that  these  two 
would  keep  their  promised  word  1  But  both  became  con 
scious  again  of  those  watchful  eyes,  ferocious,  like  the 
eyes  of  man-eating  wild  beasts,  and  both  shivered  a  little 
as  they  turned  back  into  the  great  circle  of  bark  tepees. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

THE  GATHERING   OP   THE  SIOUX 

DICK  and  Albert  abode  nearly  two  weeks  in  the 
great  lodge  of  the  Akitcita,  that  is,  as  guests^ 
although  they  were  prisoners,  whose  lives  might 
be  taken  at  any  time,  and  they  had  splendid  opportuni 
ties  for  observing  what  a  genuine  Spartan  band  the 
Akitcita  were.  Everyone  had  his  appointed  place  for 
arms  and  his  rush  or  fur  mat  for  sleeping.  There  was 
no  quarreling,  no  unseemly  chatter,  always  a  grave  and 
dignified  order  and  the  sense  of  stern  discipline.  Not 
all  the  Akitcita  were  ever  present  in  the  daytime,  but 
some  always  were.  All  the  tribal  business  was  trans 
acted  here.  The  women  had  to  bring  wood  and  water 
to  it  daily,  and  the  entire  village  supplied  it  every  day 
with  regular  rations  of  tobacco,  almost  the  only  luxury 
of  the  Akitcita. 

Both  Dick  and  Albert  were  keenly  observant,  and 
they  did  not  hesitate  also  to  ask  questions  of  Bright  Sun 
whenever  they  had  the  chance.  They  learned  from  him 
that  the  different  tribes  of  the  Sioux  had  general  coun 
cils  at  irregular  intervals,  that  there  was  no  hereditary 
rank  among  the  chiefs,  it  being  usually  a  question  of 
energy  and  merit,  although  the  rank  was  sometimes  ob- 

262 


THE    GATHERING   OF    THE    SIOUX 

tained  by  gifts,  an  ambitious  man  giving  away  all  that 
he  had  for  the  prize.  There  were  no  women  chiefs,  and 
women  were  not  admitted  to  the  great  council. 

The  boys  perceived,  too,  that  much  in  the  life  of  the 
Sioux  was  governed  by  ancient  ritual;  nearly  every 
thing  had  its  religious  meaning,  and  both  boys  having 
an  inherent  respect  for  religion  of  any  kind,  were  in 
constant  fear  lest  they  should  violate  unwillingly  some 
honored  law. 

The  two  made  friendly  advances  to  the  members  of 
the  Akitcita,  but  they  were  received  with  a  grave  cour 
tesy  that  did  not  invite  a  continuance.  They  felt  daily 
a  deepening  sense  of  racial  difference.  They  appre 
ciated  the  humane  treatment  they  had  received,  but  they 
and  the  Sioux  did  not  seem  to  come  into  touch  any 
where.  And  this  difference  was  accentuated  in  the  case 
of  Bright  Sun.  The  very  fact  that  he  had  been  edu 
cated  in  their  schools,  that  he  spoke  their  language  so 
well,  and  that  he  knew  their  customs  seemed  to  widen 
the  gulf  between  them  into  a  sea.  They  felt  that  he  had 
tasted  of  their  life,  and  liked  it  not. 

The  two,  although  they  could  not  like  Bright  Sun, 
began  to  have  a  certain  deference  for  him.  The  old 
sense  of  power  he  had  created  in  their  minds  increased 
greatly,  and  now  it  was  not  merely  a  matter  of  mind 
and  manner;  all  the  outward  signs,  the  obvious  respect 
in  which  he  was  held  by  everybody  and  the  way  in 
which  the  eyes  of  warriors,  as  well  as  those  of  women 
and  children,  followed  him,  showed  that  he  was  a  leader. 

After  ten  days  or  so  in  the  great  lodge  of  the  Akit 
cita,  Diek  and  Albert  were  removed  to  a  small  bark 

263 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

tepee  of  their  own,  to  which  they  were  content  to  go. 
They  had  no  arms,  not  even  a  knife,  but  they  were 
already  used  to  their  captivity,  and  however  great  their 
ultimate  danger  might  be,  it  was  too  far  away  for  them 
to  think  much  about  it. 

They  observed,  soon  after  their  removal,  that  the  life  , 
of  the  village  changed  greatly.  The  old  women  were 
not  often  to  be  found  in  the  shadow  of  the  lodges  play- 
ing  Woskate  Tanpan,  the  men  gave  up  wholly  Woskate 
Painyankapi,  and  throughout  the  village,  no  matter  how 
stoical  the  Sioux  might  be,  there  was  a  perceptible  air 
of  excitement  and  suspense.  Often  at  night  the  boys 
heard  the  rolling  of  the  Sioux  war  drums,  and  the  medi 
cine  men  made  medicine  incessantly  inside  their  tepees. 
Dick  chafed  greatly. 

"  Big  things  are  afoot,"  he  would  say  to  Albert. 
"  We  know  that  the  Sioux  and  our  people  are  at  war, 
but  you  and  I,  Al,  don't  know  a  single  thing  that  has 
occurred.  I  wish  we  could  get  away  from  here.  Our 
people  are  our  own  people,  and  I'd  like  to  tell  them 
to  look  out." 

"  I  feel  just  as  you  do,  Dick,"  Albert  would  reply; 
"  but  we  might  recall  our  promise  to  Bright  Sun.  Be 
sides,  we  wouldn't  have  the  ghost  of  a  chance  to  escape. 
I  feel  that  a  hundred  eyes  are  looking  at  me  all  the 
time." 

"  I  feel  that  two  hundred  are  looking  at  me,"  said 
Dick,  with  a  grim  little  laugh.  "  No,  Al,  you're  right. 
We  haven't  a  chance  on  earth  to  escape." 

Five  days  after  their  removal  to  the  small  lodge 
there  was  a  sudden  and  great  increase  in  the  excitement 

264 


THE    GATHERING   OF    THE    SIOUX 

in  the  village.  In  truth,  it  burst  into  a  wild  elation, 
and  all  the  women  and  children,  running  toward  the 
northern  side  of  the  village,  began  to  shout  cries  of 
welcome.  The  warriors  followed  more  sedately,  and 
Dick  and  Albert,  no  one  detaining  them,  joined  in  the 
throng. 

"  Somebody's  coming,  Al,  that's  sure,"  said  Dick. 

"  Yes,  and  that  somebody's  a  lot  of  men,"  said  Al 
bert.  "Look!" 

Three  or  four  hundred  warriors,  a  long  line  of  them, 
were  coming  down  the  valley,  tall,  strong,  silent  men, 
with  brilliant  headdresses  of  feathers  and  bright  blan 
kets.  Everyone  carried  a  carbine  or  rifle,  and  they 
looked  what  they  were— a  truly  formidable  band,  re 
solved  upon  some  great  attempt. 

Dick  and  Albert  inferred  the  character  of  the  arri 
vals  from  the  shouts  that  they  heard  the  squaws  and 
children  utter:  "  Sisseton!  "  "  Wahpeton!  "  "  Oga- 
lala!"  "Yankton!"  "Teton!"  "Hunkpapa!" 

The  arriving  warriors,  many  of  whom  were  undoubt 
edly  chiefs,  gravely  nodded  to  their  welcome,  and  came 
silently  on  as  the  admiring  crowd  opened  to  receive  them. 

"  It's  my  opinion,"  said  Dick,  "  that  the  Seven 
Fireplaces  are  about  to  hold  a  grand  council  in  the  lodge 
of  the  Akitcita." 

"  I  don't  think  there's  any  doubt  of  it,"  replied 
Albert. 

They  also  heard,  amidst  the  names  of  the  tribes,  the 
names  of  great  warriors  or  medicine  men,  names  which 
they  were  destined  to  hear  many  times  again,  both  in 
Indian  and  English — Sitting  Bull,  Rain-in-the-Face,  Lit- 

265 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

tie  Big  Man,  and  others.  Then  they  meant  nothing  to 
either  Dick  or  Albert. 

All  the  chiefs,  led  by  Bright  Sun,  went  directly  to 
the  lodge  of  the  Akitcita,  and  the  other  warriors  were 
taken  into  the  lodges  of  their  friends,  the  Mendewah- 
kantons.  Then  the  women  ran  to  the  lodges  and  re 
turned  with  the  best  food  that  the  village  could  furnish. 
It  was  given  to  the  guests,  and  also  many  pounds  of 
choice  tobacco. 

Dick  and  Albert  had  made  no  mistake  in  their  sur 
mise.  The  great  council  of  the  Seven  Fireplaces  of  the 
Sioux  was  in  session.  All  that  day  the  chiefs  remained 
in  the  lodge  of  the  Akitcita,  and  when  night  was  far 
advanced  they  were  still  there. 

Dick  and  Albert  shared  the  excitement  of  the  vil 
lage,  although  knowing  far  less  of  its  nature,  but  they 
knew  that  a  grand  council  of  the  Seven  Fireplaces  would 
not  be  held  without  great  cause,  and  they  feared  much 
for  their  people.  It  was  a  warm,  close  night,  with  a 
thin  moon  and  flashes  of  heat  lightning  on  the  hilly 
horizon.  Through  the  heavy  air  came  the  monotonous 
rolling  of  a  war  drum,  and  the  chant  of  a  medicine  man 
making  medicine  in  a  tepee  near  by  went  on  without 
ceasing. 

The  boys  did  not  try  to  sleep,  and,  unable  to  stifle 
curiosity,  they  came  from  the  little  bark  lodge.  One  or 
two  Sioux  warriors  glanced  at  them,  but  none  spoke. 
The  Sioux  knew  that  the  village  was  guarded  so  closely 
by  a  ring  of  sentinels  that  a  cat  could  not  have  crept 
through  without  being  seen.  The  boys  walked  on  un 
disturbed  until  they  came  near  the  great  council  lodge, 

266 


THE    GATHERING    OF    THE    SIOUX 

where  they  stopped  to  look  at  the  armed  warriors  stand 
ing  by  the  door. 

The  dim  light  and  the  excited  imaginations  of  the 
boys  made  the  lodge  grow  in  size  and  assume  fantastic 
shapes.  So  many  great  chiefs  had  come  together  for  a 
mighty  purpose,  and  Dick  was  sure  that  Bright  Sun, 
sitting  in  the  ring  of  his  equals,  urged  on  the  project, 
whatever  it  might  be,  and  would  be  the  dominating  fig 
ure  through  all. 

Although  they  saw  nothing,  they  were  fascinated  by 
what  they  wished  to  see.  The  great  lodge  held  them 
with  a  spell  that  they  did  not  seek  to  break.  Although 
it  was  past  midnight,  they  stayed  there,  staring  at  the 
blank  walls.  "Warriors  passed  and  gave  them  sharp 
glances,  but  nothing  was  said  to  them.  The  air  re 
mained  close  and  heavy.  Heat  lightning  continued  to 
flare  on  the  distant  hills,  but  no  rain  fell. 

The  chiefs  finally  came  forth  from  the  great  coun 
cil.  There  was  no  light  for  them  save  the  cloudy  skies 
and  one  smoking  torch  that  a  warrior  held  aloft,  but 
the  active  imaginations  of  the  two  boys  were  again  im 
pressed.  Every  chief  seemed  to  show  in  his  face  and 
manner  his  pride  of  race  and  the  savage  strength  that 
well  became  such  a  time  and  place.  Some  bore  them 
selves  more  haughtily  and  were  more  brilliantly  adorned 
than  Bright  Sun,  but  he  was  still  the  magnet  from  which 
power  and  influence  streamed.  Dick  and  Albert  did  not 
know  why  they  knew  it,  but  they  knew  it. 

The  chiefs  did  not  go  away  to  friendly  lodges,  but 
after  they  came  forth  remained  in  a  group,  talking. 
Dick  surmised  that  they  had  come  to  an  agreement  upon 

267 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

whatever  question  they  debated;  now  they  were  outside 
for  fresh  air,  and  soon  would  return  to  the  lodge  of  the 
Akitcita,  which,  according  to  custom,  would  shelter  them 
as  guests. 

Bright  Sun  noticed  the  brothers  standing  in  the 
shadow  of  the  lodge,  and,  leaving  the  group,  he  walked 
over  to  them.  His  manner  did  not  express  hostility, 
but  he  made  upon  both  boys  that  old  impression  of 
power  and  confidence,  tinged  now  with  a  certain  ex 
ultation. 

"  You  would  know  what  we  have  been  doing?  "  he 
said,  speaking  directly  to  Dick,  the  older. 

"  We  don't  ask,"  replied  Dick,  "  but  I  will  say  this, 
Bright  Sun:  we  believe  that  the  thing  done  was  tho 
thing  you  wished." 

Bright  Sun  permitted  himself  a  little  smile. 

11  You  have  learned  to  flatter,"  he  said. 

"  It  was  not  meant  as  flattery,"  said  Dick;  "  but 
there  is  something  more  I  have  to  say.  We  wish  to 
withdraw  our  pledge  not  to  attempt  to  escape.  You 
remember  it  was  in  the  agreement  we  could  withdraw 
whenever  we  chose." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Bright  Sun,  giving  Dick  a 
penetrating  look.  "  And  so  you  think  it  is  time  for 
you  to  go?  " 

"  We  will  go,  if  we  can,"  said  Dick  boldly. 

Bright  Sun,  who  had  permitted  himself  a  smile  a 
little  while  ago,  now  permitted  himself  a  soft  laugh. 

"  You  put  it  well,"  he  said  in  his  precise  English, 
"  *  if  we  can.'  But  the  understanding  is  clear.  The 
agreement  is  at  an  end.  However,  you  will  not  escape. 

268 


THE    GATHERING    OP>   THE    SIOUA 

We  need  you  as  hostages,  and  I  will  tell  you,  too,  that 
we  leave  this  village  and  valley  to-morrow.  We  begin 
a  great  march." 

"  I  am  not  surprised,"  said  Dick. 

Bright  Sun  rejoined  the  other  chiefs,  and  all  of 
them  went  back  into  the  lodge  of  the  Akitcita,  while 
Dick  and  Albert  returned  to  their  own  little  tepee. 
There,  as  each  lay  on  his  rush  mat,  they  talked  in 
whispers. 

"  What  meaning  do  you  give  to  it,  Dick?  "  asked 
Albert. 

"  That  all  the  Sioux  tribes  are  going  to  make  a 
mighty  effort  against  our  people,  and  they're  going  to 
make  it  soon.  Why  else  are  they  holding  this  great 
council  of  the  Seven  Fireplaces?  I  tell  you,  Al,  big 
things  are  afoot.  Oh,  if  we  could  only  find  a  chance 
to  get  away!  " 

Albert  rolled  over  to  the  door  of  the  lodge  and 
peeped  out.  Several  warriors  were  pacing  up  and  down 
in  front  of  the  rows  of  tepees.  He  rolled  back  to  his 
rush  mat. 

' '  They  've  got  inside  as  well  as  outside  guards  now, ' ' 
he  whispered. 

"  I  thought  it  likely,"  Dick  whispered  back.  "  Al, 
the  best  thing  that  you  and  I  can  do  now  is  to  go  to 
sleep." 

They  finally  achieved  slumber,  but  they  were  up 
early  the  next  morning  and  saw  Bright  Sun's  words 
come  true.  The  village  was  dismantled  with  extraor 
dinary  rapidity.  Most  of  the  lighter  lodges  were  taken 
down,  but  how  much  of  the  place  was  left,  and  what 

269 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

people  were  left  with  it,  the  boys  did  not  know,  because 
they  departed  with  the  warriors,  each  riding  a  bridle- 
less  pony.  Although  mounted,  their  chance  of  escape 
was  not  increased.  Warriors  were  all  about  them,  they 
were  unarmed,  and  their  ponies,  uncontrolled  by  bridles, 
could  not  be  made  to  leave  their  comrades. 

Dick  and  Albert,  nevertheless,  found  an  interest  in 
this  journey,  wondering  to  what  mysterious  destination 
it  would  lead  them.  They  heard  behind  them  the  chant 
of  the  old  women  driving  the  ponies  that  drew  the  bag* 
gage  on  poles,  but  the  warriors  around  them  were  silent. 
Bright  Sun  was  not  visible.  Dick  surmised  that  he  was 
at  the  head  of  the  column. 

The  clouds  of  the  preceding  night  had  gone  away, 
and  the  day  was  cooler,  although  it  was  now  summer, 
and  both  Dick  and  Albert  found  a  certain  pleasure  in 
the  journey.  In  their  present  state  of  suspense  any 
change  was  welcome. 

They  rode  straight  up  the  valley,  a  long  and  for 
midable  procession,  and  as  they  went  northward  the  de 
pression  became  both  shallower  and  narrower.  Finally, 
they  crossed  the  river  at  a  rather  deep  ford  and  rode 
directly  ahead.  Soon  the  hills  and  the  forest  that 
clothed  them  sank  out  of  sight,  and  Dick  and  Albert 
were  once  again  in  the  midst  of  the  rolling  immensity 
of  the  plains.  They  could  judge  the  point  of  the  com 
pass  by  the  sun,  but  they  knew  nothing  else  of  the  coun 
try  over  which  they  traveled.  They  tried  two  or  three 
times  to  open  conversation  with  the  warriors  about  them, 
trusting  that  the  latter  knew  English,  but  they  received 
no  reply  and  gave  up  the  attempt. 

270 


THE    GATHERING   OP    THE    SIOUX 

"  At  any  rate,  I  can  talk  to  you,  Al,"  said  Dick 
after  the  last  futile  attempt. 

"  Yes,  but  you  can't  get  any  information  out  of 
me,"  replied  Albert  with  a  laugh. 

The  procession  moved  on,  straight  as  an  arrow,  over 
the  swells,  turning  aside  for  nothing.  Some  buffaloes 
were  seen  on  the  horizon,  but  they  were  permitted  to 
crop  the  bunch  grass  undisturbed.  No  Indian  hunter 
left  the  ranks. 

They  camped  that  night  on  the  open  prairie,  Dick 
and  Albert  sleeping  in  their  blankets  in  the  center  of 
the  savage  group.  It  might  have  seemed  to  the  ordi 
nary  observer  that  there  was  looseness  and  disorder 
about  the  camp,  but  Dick  was  experienced  enough  to 
know  that  all  the  Mendewahkantons  were  posted  in  the 
circle  according  to  their  clans,  and  that  the  delegates 
were  distributed  with  them  in  places  of  honor. 

Dick  noticed,  also,  that  no  fires  were  built,  and  that 
the  warriors  had  scrutinized  the  entire  circle  of  the 
horizon  with  uncommon  care.  It  could  signify  but  one 
thing  to  him — white  people,  and  perhaps  white  troops, 
were  near.  If  so,  he  prayed  that  they  were  in  sufficient 
force.  He  was  awakened  in  the  night  by  voices,  and 
raising  himself  on  his  elbow  he  saw  a  group  of  men,  at 
least  a  hundred  in  number,  riding  into  the  camp. 

The  latest  arrivals  were  Sioux  warriors,  but  of  what 
tribe  he  could  not  tell.  Yet  it  was  always  the  Sioux 
who  were  coming,  and  it  would  have  been  obvious  to 
the  least  observant  that  Dick's  foreboding  about  a 
mighty  movement  was  right.  They  were  joined  the  next 
day  by  another  detachment  coming  from  the  southwest, 

271 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  rode  on,  full  seven  hundred  warriors,  every  man 
armed  with  the  white  man's  weapons,  carbine  or  rifle 
and  revolver. 

"  I  pity  any  poor  emigrants  whom  they  may  meet/' 
thought  Dick;  but,  fortunately,  they  met  none.  The 
swelling  host  continued  its  march  a  second  day,  a  third, 
and  a  fourth  through  sunshiny  weather,  increasing  in 
warmth,  and  over  country  that  changed  but  little.  Dick 
and  Albert  saw  Bright  Sun  only  once  or  twice,  but  he 
had  nothing  to  say  to  them.  The  others,  too,  maintained 
their  impenetrable  silence,  although  they  never  offered 
any  ill  treatment. 

They  were  joined  every  day  by  bands  of  warriors, 
sometimes  not  more  than  two  or  three  at  a  time,  and 
again  as  many  as  twenty.  They  came  from  all  points 
of  the  compass,  but,  so  far  as  Dick  and  Albert  could 
see,  little  was  said  on  their  arrival.  Everything  was 
understood.  They  came  as  if  in  answer  to  a  call,  took 
their  places  without  ado  in  the  savage  army,  and  rods 
silently  on.  Dick  saw  a  great  will  at  work,  and  with 
it  a  great  discipline.  A  master  mind  had  provided  for 
all  things. 

"  Al,"  he  said  to  his  brother,  "  you  and  I  are  not  in 
the  plan  at  all.  We've  been  out  of  the  world  two  years, 
and  we're  just  that  many  years  behind." 

"  I  know  it's  1876,"  said  Albert,  with  some  confi 
dence,  but  he  added  in  confession :  ' '  I  've  no  idea  what 
month  it  is,  although  it  must  be  somewhere  near  sum 
mer." 

"  About  the  beginning  of  June,  I  should  think, " 
said  Dick. 

272 


THE    GATHERING    OF    THE    SIOUX 

An  hour  after  this  little  talk  the  country  became 
more  hilly,  and  presently  they  saw  trees  and  high  bluffs 
to  their  right.  Both  boys  understood  the  signs.  They 
were  approaching  a  river,  and  possibly  their  destination. 

"I've  a  feeling,'*  said  Dick,  "  that  we're  going  to 
stop  now.  The  warriors  look  as  if  they  were  getting 
ready  for  a  rest." 

He  was  quickly  confirmed  in  his  opinion  by  the  ap 
pearance  of  mounted  Indians  galloping  to  meet  them. 
These  warriors  showed  no  signs  of  fatigue  or  a  long 
march,  and  it  was  now  obvious  that  a  village  was  near. 

The  new  band  greeted  the  force  of  Bright  Sun  with 
joy,  and  the  stern  silence  was  relaxed.  There  was  much 
chattering  and  laughing,  much  asking  and  answering  of 
questions,  and  soon  Indian  women  and  Indian  boys, 
with  little  bows  and  arrows,  came  over  the  bluffs,  and 
joining  the  great  mounted  force,  followed  on  its  flanks. 

Dick  and  Albert  were  on  ponies  near  the  head  of 
the  column,  and  their  troubles  and  dangers  were  for 
gotten  in  their  eager  interest  in  what  they  were  about 
to  see.  The  feeling  that  a  first  step  in  a  great  plan  was 
accomplished  was  in  the  air.  They  could  see  it  in  the 
cessation  of  the  Sioux  reserve  and  in  the  joyous  man 
ner  of  the  warriors,  as  well  as  the  women.  Even  the 
ponies  pricked  up  their  heads,  as  if  they,  too,  saw  rest. 

The  procession  wound  round  the  base  of  a  hill,  and 
then  each  boy  uttered  a  little  gasp.  Before  them  lay  a 
valley,  about  a  mile  wide,  down  the  center  of  which 
flowed  a  shallow  yellow  river  fringed  with  trees  and 
also  with  undergrowth,  very  dense  in  places.  But  it 
was  neither  river  nor  trees  that  had  drawn  the  little 

273 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

gasps  from  the  two  boys,  it  was  an  Indian  village,  or 
rather  a  great  town,  extending  as  far  as  they  could  see 
— and  they  saw  far — on  either  side  of  the  stream.  There 
were  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  lodges,  and  a  vast  scene 
of  animated  and  varied  life.  Warriors,  squaws,  chil 
dren,  and  dogs  moved  about;  smoke  rose  from  scores 
and  scores  of  fires,  and  on  grassy  meadows  grazed  ponies, 
thousands  in  number. 

"  Why,  I  didn't  think  there  was  so  big  an  Indian 
town  in  all  the  West!  "  exclaimed  Albert. 

"  Nor  did  I,"  said  Dick  gravely,  "  and  I'm  think 
ing,  Al,  that  it's  gathered  here  for  a  purpose.  It  must 
be  made  up  of  all  the  Sioux  tribes." 

Albert  nodded.  He  knew  the  thought  in  Dick's 
mind,  and  he  believed  it  to  be  correct. 

Chance  so  had  it  that  Bright  Sun  at  this  moment 
rode  near  them  and  heard  their  words.  Dick  of  late 
had  surmised  shrewdly  that  Bright  Sun  treated  them 
well,  not  alone  for  the  sake  of  their  value  as  hostages, 
but  for  a  reason  personal  to  himself.  He  had  been  asso 
ciated  long  with  white  people  in  their  schools,  but  he 
was  at  heart  and  in  fact  a  great  Sioux  chief;  he  had 
felt  the  white  man's  assumption  of  racial  superiority, 
and  he  would  have  these  two  with  the  white  faces  wit 
ness  some  great  triumph  that  he  intended  to  achieve 
over  these  same  white  people.  This  belief  was  growing 
on  Dick,  and  it  received  more  confirmation  when  Bright 
Sun  said: 

"  You  see  that  the  Sioux  nation  has  many  warriors 
and  is  mighty." 

"I  see  that  it  is  so,  Bright  Sun,"  replied  Dick 
274 


THE    GATHERING   OF    THE    SIOUX 

frankly.  "  I  did  not  know  you  were  so  numerous  and 
so  powerful;  but  bear  in  mind,  Bright  Sun,  that  no 
matter  how  many  the  Sioux  may  be,  the  white  men  are 
like  the  leaves  of  the  trees — thousands,  tens  of  thou 
sands  may  fall,  and  yet  only  their  own  kin  miss  them/' 

But  Bright  Sun  shook  his  head. 

"  What  you  say  is  true,"  he  said,  "  because  I  have 
seen  and  I  know;  but  they  are  not  here.  The  moun 
tains,  the  plains,  the  wilderness  keep  them  back." 

Dick  forebore  a  retort,  because  he  felt  that  he  owed 
Bright  Sun  something,  and  the  chief  seemed  to  take  it 
for  granted  that  he  was  silenced  by  logic. 

"  This  is  the  Little  Big  Horn  River,"  Bright  Sun 
said,  "  and  you  behold  now  in  this  village,  which  ex 
tends  five  miles  on  either  side  of  it,  the  Seven  Fireplaces 
of  the  Sioux.  All  the  tribes  are  gathered  here." 

'  '  And  it  is  you  who  have  gathered  them, ' '  said  Dick. 
He  was  looking  straight  into  Bright  Sun's  eyes  as  he 
spoke,  and  he  saw  the  pupils  of  the  Sioux  expand,  in 
fact  dilate,  with  a  sudden  overwhelming  sense  of  power 
and  triumph.  Dick  knew  he  had  guessed  aright,  but 
the  Sioux  replied  with  restraint: 

"  If  I  have  had  some  small  part  in  the  doing  of  it, 
I  feel  proud." 

With  that  he  left  them,  and  Dick  and  Albert  rode 
on  into  the  valley  of  the  river,  in  whatsoever  direction 
their  bridleless  horses  might  carry  them,  although  that 
direction  was  bound  to  be  the  one  in  which  rode  the 
group  surrounding  them. 

Some  of  the  squaws  and  boys,  who  caught  sight  of 
Dick  and  Albert  among  the  warriors,  began  to  shout 

275 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  jeer,  but  a  chief  sternly  bade  them  be  silent,  and 
they  slunk  away,  to  the  great  relief  of  the  two  lads, 
who  had  little  relish  for  such  attentions. 

They  were  full  in  the  valley  now,  and  on  one  side 
of  them  was  thick  undergrowth  that  spread  to  the  edge 
of  the  river.  A  few  hundred  yards  farther  the  under 
growth  ceased,  sand  taking  its  place.  All  the  warriors 
turned  their  ponies  abruptly  away  from  one  particular 
stretch  of  sand,  and  Dick  understood. 

"  It's  a  quicksand,  Al,"  he  said;  "  it  would  suck 
up  pony,  rider,  and  all." 

They  left  the  quicksand  behind  and  entered  the  vil 
lage,  passing  among  the  groups  of  lodges.  Here  they 
realized  more  fully  than  on  the  hills  the  great  extent  of 
the  Indian  town.  Its  inhabitants  seemed  a  myriad  to 
Dick  and  Albert,  so  long  us*ed  to  silence  and  the  lack  of 
numbers. 

"  How  many  warriors  do  you  suppose  this  place 
could  turn  out,  Dick?  "  asked  Albert. 

11  Five  thousand,  but  that's  only  a  guess.  It  doesn't 
look  much  like  our  own  valley,  does  it,  Al  ?  ' ' 

"  No,  it  doesn't,"  replied  Albert  with  emphasis; 
"  and  I  can  tell  you,  Dick,  I  wish  I  was  back  there 
right  now.  I  believe  that's  the  finest  valley  the  sun  ever 
shone  on." 

"  But  we  had  to  leave  sometime  or  other,"  said 
Dick,  "  and  how  could  we  tell  that  we  were  going  to 
run  into  anything  like  this ?  But  it's  surely  a  big  change 
for  us." 

"  The  biggest  in  the  world." 

The  group  in  which  they  rode  continued  along  the 
276 


THE    GATHERING   OF    THE    SIOUX 

river  about  two  miles,  and  then  stopped  at  a  point  where 
both  valley  and  village  were  widest.  A  young  warrior, 
speaking  crude  English,  roughly  bade  them  dismount, 
and  gladly  they  sprang  from  the  ponies.  Albert  fell 
over  when  he  struck  the  ground,  his  legs  were  cramped 
so  much  by  the  long  ride,  but  the  circulation  was  soon 
restored,  and  he  and  Dick  went  without  resistance  to  the 
lodge  that  was  pointed  out  to  them  as  their  temporary 
home  and  prison. 

It  was  a  small  lodge  of  poles  leaning  toward  a  com 
mon  center  at  the  top,  there  lashed  together  firmly  with 
rawhide,  and  the  whole  covered  with  skins.  It  contained 
only  two  rude  mats,  two  bowls  of  Sioux  pottery,  and  a 
drinking  gourd,  but  it  was  welcome  to  Dick  and  Albert, 
who  wanted  rest  and  at  the  same  time  security  from  the 
fierce  old  squaws  and  the  equally  fierce  young  boys. 
They  were  glad  enough  to  lie  a  while  on  the  rush  mats 
and  rub  their  tired  limbs.  When  they  were  fully  rested 
they  became  very  hungry. 

"  I  wonder  if  they  mean  to  starve  us  to  death?  " 
said  Albert. 

A  negative  answer  was  given  in  about  ten  minutes 
by  two  old  squaws  who  appeared,  bearing  food,  some 
venison,  and  more  particularly  wa-nsa,  a  favorite  dish 
with  the  Sioux,  a  compound  made  of  buffalo  meat  and 
wild  cherries,  which,  after  being  dried,  are  pounded 
separately  until  they  are  very  fine;  then  the  two  are 
pounded  together  for  quite  a  while,  after  which  the 
whole  is  stored  in  bladders,  somewhat  after  the  fashion 
of  the  white  man's  sausage. 

"  This  isn't  bad  at  all,"  said  Albert  when  he  bit 
277 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

into  his  portion.    ' '  Now,  if  we  only  had  something  good 
to  drink. " 

Neither  of  the  old  squaws  understood  his  words, 
but  one  of  them  answered  his  wish,  nevertheless.  She 
brought  cherry-bark  tea  in  abundance,  which  both  found 
greatly  to  their  liking,  and  they  ate  and  drank  with  deep 
content.  A  mental  cheer  was  added  also  to  their  phys 
ical  good  feeling. 

"  Thanks,  madam/'  said  Albert,  when  one  of  the 
old  squaws  refilled  the  little  earthen  bowl  from  which 
he  drank  the  cherry-bark  tea.  "  You  are  indeed  kind. 
I  did  not  expect  to  meet  with  such  hospitality. " 

The  Indian  woman  did  not  understand  his  words, 
but  anybody  could  understand  the  boy's  ingratiating 
smile.  She  smiled  back  at  him. 

"  Be  careful,  Al,  old  man,"  said  Dick  with  the  ut 
most  gravity.  "  These  old  Indian  women  adopt  chil 
dren  sometimes,  or  perhaps  she  will  want  to  marry  you. 
In  fact,  I  think  the  latter  is  more  likely,  and  you  can't 
help  yourself." 

"  Don't,  Dick,  don't!"  said  Albert  imploringly. 
"I'm  willing  to  pay  a  high  price  for  hospitality,  but 
not  that." 

The  women  withdrew,  and  after  a  while,  when  the 
boys  felt  fully  rested,  they  stepped  outside  the  lodge, 
to  find  two  tall  young  Sioux  warriors  on  guard.  Dick 
looked  at  them  inquiringly,  and  one  of  them  said  in 
fair  English: 

"  I  am  Lone  Wolf,  and  this  is  Tall  Pine.  You  can 
go  in  the  village,  but  we  go  with  you.  Bright  Sun  has 
said  so,  and  we  obey." 

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THE    GATHERING    OF    THE    SIOUX 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Lone  Wolf,"  said  Dick  cheerfully. 
''  Four  are  company,  two  are  none.  We  couldn't  es 
cape  if  we  tried;  but  if  Bright  Sun  says  that  you  and 
your  friend  Mr.  Pine  Tree  are  to  be  our  comrades  on 
our  travels,  well  and  good.  I  don't  know  any  other 
couple  in  this  camp  that  I  'd  choose  before  you  two. ' ' 

Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree  were  young,  and  maybe 
their  youth  caused  them  to  smile  slightly  at  Dick's 
pleasantry.  Nor  did  they  annoy  the  boys  with  exces 
sive  vigilance,  and  they  answered  many  questions.  It 
was,  indeed,  they  said,  the  greatest  village  in  the  West 
that  was  now  gathered  on  the  banks  of  the  Little  Big 
Horn.  Sioux  from  all  the  tribes  had  come  including  those 
on  reservations.  All  the  clans  of  the  Mendewahkantons, 
for  instance,  were  represented  on  the  reservations,  but 
all  of  them  were  represented  here,  too. 

It  was  a  great  war  that  was  now  going  on,  they  said, 
and  they  had  taken  many  white  scalps,  but  they  inti 
mated  that  those  they  had  taken  were  few  in  comparison 
with  the  number  they  would  take.  Dick  asked  them  of 
their  present  purpose,  but  here  they  grew  wary.  The 
white  soldiers  might  be  near  or  they  might  be  far,  but 
the  god  of  the  Sioux  was  Wakantaka,  the  good  spirit, 
and  the  god  of  the  white  man  was  Wakansica,  the  bad 
spirit. 

Dick  did  not  consider  it  worth  while  to  argue  with 
them.  Indeed,  he  was  in  no  position  to  do  so.  The  his- 
tory  of  the  world  in  the  last  two  years  was  a  blank  to 
him  and  Albert.  But  he  observed  throughout  the  vast 
encampment  the  same  air  of  expectancy  and  excitement 
that  had  been  noticeable  in  the  smaller  Tillage.  He  also 

279 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

saw  a  group  of  warriors  arrive,  their  ponies  loaded  with 
repeating  rifles,  carbines,  and  revolvers.  He  surmised 
that  they  had  been  obtained  from  French-Canadian 
traders,  and  he  knew  well  for  what  they  were  meant. 
Once  again  he  made  his  silent  prayer  that  if  the  white 
soldiers  came  they  could  come  in  great  force. 

Dick  observed  in  the  huge  village  all  the  signs  of  an 
abundant  and  easy  life,  according  to  Sioux  standards. 
Throughout  its  confines  kettles  gave  forth  the  odors 
pleasing  to  an  Indian 's  nostrils.  Boys  broiled  strips  of 
venison  on  twigs  before  the  fires.  Squaws  were  jerking 
buffalo  and  deer  meat  in  a  hundred  places,  and  strings 
of  fish  ready  for  the  cooking  hung  before  the  lodges. 
Plenty  showed  everywhere. 

Dick  understood  that  if  one  were  really  a  wild  man, 
with  all  the  instincts  of  a  wild  man  inherited  through 
untold  centuries  of  wild  life,  he  could  find  no  more 
pleasing  sight  than  this  great  encampment  abounding 
in  the  good  things  for  wild  men  that  the  plains,  hills, 
and  water  furnished.  He  saw  it  readily  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  Sioux  and  could  appreciate  their  con 
fidence. 

Albert,  who  was  a  little  ahead  of  Dick,  peered  be 
tween  two  lodges,  and  suddenly  turned  away  with  a 
ghastly  face. 

"  What's  the  trouble,  Al?  "   asked  Dick. 

"  I  saw  a  warrior  passing  on  the  other  side  of  those 
lodges,"  replied  Albert,  "  and  he  had  something  at  his 
belt— the  yellow  hair  of  a  white  man,  and  there  was 
blood  on  it." 

"  We  have  taken  many  scalps  already,"  interrupted 
280 


THE    GATHERING   OF    THE    SIOUX 

the  young  Sioux,  Lone  Wolf,  some  pride  showing  in  hie 
tone. 

Both  Dick  and  Albert  shuddered  and  were  silent. 
The  gulf  between  these  men  and  themselves  widened 
again  into  a  sea.  Their  thoughts  could  not  touch  those 
of  the  Sioux  at  any  point. 

"  I  think  we'd  better  go  back  to  our  own  lodge," 
said  Dick. 

"No,"  said  Lone  Wolf.  "  The  great  chief,  Bright 
Sun,  has  commanded  us  when  we  return  to  bring  you 
into  his  presence,  and  it  is  time  for  us  to  go  to  him. ; ' 

"  What  does  he  want  with  us?  "   asked  Albert. 

"  He  knows,  but  I  do  not/'  replied  Lone  Wolf  sen- 
tentiously. 

"  Lead  on,"  said  Dick  lightly.  "  Here,  we  go  wheF- 
ever  we  are  invited." 

They  walked  back  a  full  mile,  and  Lone  Wolf  and 
Pine  Tree  led  the  way  to  a  great  lodge,  evidently  one 
used  by  the  Akitcita,  although  Dick  judged  that  in  so 
great  a  village  as  this,  which  was  certainly  a  fusion  of 
many  villages,  there  must  be  at  least  a  dozen  lodges  of 
the  Akitcita. 

Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree  showed  Dick  and  Albert 
into  the  door,  but  they  themselves  remained  outside. 
The  two  boys  paused  just  inside  the  door  until  their 
eyes  became  used  to  the  half  gloom  of  the  place.  Before 
them  stood  a  dozen  men,  all  great  chiefs,  and  in  the 
center  was  Bright  Sun,  the  dominating  presence. 

Despite  their  natural  courage  and  hardihood  and  the 
wild  life  to  which  they  had  grown  used,  Dick  and  Al 
bert  were  somewhat  awed  by  the  appearance  of  these 

281 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

men,  every  one  of  whom  was  of  stern  presence,  looking 
every  inch  a  warrior.  They  had  discarded  the  last  parti 
cle  of  the  white  man's  attire,  keeping  only  the  white 
man's  deadly  weapons,  the  repeating  rifle  and  revolver. 
Every  one  wore,  more  or  less  loosely  folded  about  him, 
a  robe  of  the  buffalo,  and  in  all  cases  the  inner  side  of 
this  robe  was  painted  throughout  in  the  most  vivid 
manner  with  scenes  from  the  hunt  or  warpath,  chiefly 
those  that  had  occurred  in  the  life  of  the  wearer.  Many 
colors  were  used  in  these  paintings,  but  mostly  those  of 
cardinal  dyes,  red  and  blue  being  favorites. 

"  These,"  said  Bright  Sun,  speaking  more  directly 
to  Dick,  "  are  mighty  chiefs  of  the  Sioux  Nation.  This 
is  Ta  Sun  Ke  Ka-Kipapi-Hok'silan  ( Young-Man- Afraid- 
of-His-Horses)." 

He  nodded  toward  a  tall  warrior,  who  made  a  slight 
and  grave  inclination. 

"  I'd  cut  out  at  least  half  of  that  name,"  said  Dick 
under  his  breath. 

"  And  this,"  continued  Bright  Sun  in  his  meas 
ured,  precise  English,  "  is  Ite-Moga'Ju  (Rain-in-the- 
Face),  and  this  Kun-Sun'ka  (Crow  Dog),  and  this 
Pizi  (Gall),  and  this  Peji  (Grass)." 

Thus  he  continued  introducing  them,  giving  to  every 
one  his  long  Indian  appellation,  until  all  were  named. 
The  famous  Sitting  Bull  (Tatanka  Yotanka)  was  not 
present.  Dick  learned  afterwards  that  he  was  at  that 
very  moment  in  his  own  tepee  making  medicine. 

"  What  we  wish  to  know,"  said  Bright  Sun—"  and 
we  have  ways  to  make  you  tell  us— is  whether  you  saw 
the  white  troops  before  we  took  you?  " 

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THE    GATHERING    OP    THE    SIOUX 

Dick  shivered  a  little.  He  knew  what  Bright  Sun 
meant  by  the  phrase  * '  we  have  ways  to  make  you  tell, '  ' 
and  he  knew  also  that  Bright  Sun  would  be  merciless 
if  mercy  stood  in  the  way  of  getting  what  he  wished. 
No  shred  of  the  white  man's  training  was  now  left 
about  the  Indian  chief  save  the  white  man's  speech. 

' '  I  have  not  seen  a  white  man  in  two  years, ' '  replied 
Dick,  "  nor  has  my  brother.  We  told  you  the  truth 
when  you  took  us." 

Bright  Sun  was  silent  for  a  space,  regarding  him 
with  black  eyes  seeking  to  read  every  throb  of  his  heart. 
Dick  was  conscious,  too,  that  the  similar  gaze  of  all  the 
others  was  upon  him.  But  he  did  not  flinch.  Why 
should  he  ?  He  had  told  the  truth. 

"  Then  I  ask  you  again,"  said  Bright  Sun,  "  where 
have  you  been  all  this  time?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,"  replied  Dick.  "  It  is  a  place 
that  we  wish  to  keep  secret.  It  is  hidden  far  from  here. 
But  it  is  one  to  which  no  one  else  goes.  I  can  say  that 
much." 

Rain-in-the-Face  made  an  impatient  movement,  and 
said  some  words  in  the  Sioux  tongue.  Dick  feared  it 
was  a  suggestion  that  he  be  put  to  the  torture,  and  he 
was  glad  when  Bright  Sun  shook  his  head. 

"  There  are  such  places,"  said  Bright  Sun,  "  be 
cause  the  mountains  are  high  and  vast  and  but  few 
people  travel  among  them.  It  may  be  that  he  tells  the 
truth." 

' '  It  is  the  truth.    I  swear  it !  "  said  Dick  earnestly. 

"  Then  why  do  you  refuse  to  tell  of  this  place!  " 
asked  Bright  Sun. 

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THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

"  Because  we  wish  to  keep  it  for  ourselves/'  replied 
Dick  frankly. 

The  faintest  trace  of  a  smile  was  visible  in  Bright 
Sun's  eyes. 

"  Wherever  it  may  be  it  belongs  to  us,"  said  the 
chief;  "  but  I  believe  that  you  are  telling  the  truth. 
Nor  do  I  hesitate  to  tell  you  that  we  have  asked  these 
questions  because  we  wish  to  learn  all  that  we  can.  The 
soldiers  of  your  people  are  advancing  under  the  yellow- 
haired  general,  Ouster,  Terry,  Gibbon,  and  others.  They 
come  in  great  force,  but  the  Sioux,  in  greater  force  and 
more  cunning,  will  destroy  them." 

Dick  was  silent.  He  knew  too  little  to  make  any 
reply  to  the  statements  of  Bright  Sun.  Rain-in-the-Face 
and  Crazy  Horse  spoke  to  Bright  Sun,  and  they  seemed 
to  be  urging  something.  But  the  chief  again  shook  his 
head,  and  they,  too,  became  silent.  It  was  obvious  to 
both  the  boys  that  his  influence  was  enormous. 

' '  You  can  go, ' '  he  said  to  Dick  and  Albert,  and  they 
gladly  left  the  lodge.  Outside,  Lone  Wolf  and  Pine 
Tree  fell  in  on  either  side  of  them  and  escorted  them  to 
their  own  tepee,  in  front  of  which  they  stood  guard 
while  the  boys  slept  that  night. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

THE   GREAT   SUN   DANCE 

DICK  and  Albert  remained  in  their  tepee  through* 
out  the  next  morning,  but  in  the  afternoon 
they  were  allowed  to  go  in  the  village  a  second 
time.  Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree,  who  had  slept  in  the 
morning,  were  again  their  guards.  Both  saw  at  once 
that  some  great  event  was  at  hand.  The  excitement  in 
the  village  had  increased  visibly,  and  a  multitude  was 
pouring  toward  a  certain  point,  a  wide,  grassy  plain 
beside  the  Little  Big  Horn.  Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree 
willingly  took  the  captives  with  the  crowd,  and  the  two 
boys  looked  upon  a  sight  which  few  white  men  have 
beheld  in  all  its  savage  convulsions. 

The  wide,  grassy  space  before  them  had  been  care 
fully  chosen  by  the  great  medicine  men  of  the  nation, 
Sitting  Bull  at  their  head.  Then  the  squaws  had  put 
up  a  great  circular  awning,  like  a  circus  tent,  with  part 
of  the  top  cut  out.  This  awning  was  over  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  diameter.  After  this,  the  medicine 
men  had  selected  a  small  tree,  which  was  cut  down  by  a 
young,  unmarried  squaw.  Then  the  tree,  after  it  had 
been  trimmed  of  all  its  branches  and  consecrated  and 
prayed  over  by  the  medicine  men,  was  erected  in  the 

285 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

center  of  the  inclosed  space,  rising  from  the  ground  to 
a  height  of  about  twenty  feet. 

To  the  top  of  the  pole  were  fastened  many  long 
thongs  of  rawhide  reaching  nearly  to  the  ground,  and 
as  Dick  and  Albert  looked  a  swarm  of  young  men  in 
strange  array,  or  rather  lack  of  array,  came  forth  from 
among  the  lodges  and  entered  the  inclosed  space.  Dick 
had  some  dim  perception  of  what  was  about  to  occur, 
but  Lone  Wolf  informed  him  definitely. 

11  The  sun  dance/'  he  said.  "  Many  youths  are 
about  to  become  great  warriors." 

The  greatest  of  sun  dances,  a  sun  dance  of  the  mighty 
allied  Sioux  tribes,  was  about  to  begin.  Forward  went 
the  neophytes,  every  one  clad  only  in  a  breechclout 
ornamented  with  beads,  colored  horsehair  and  eagle 
feathers,  and  with  horse  tails  attached  to  it,  falling  to 
the  ground.  But  every  square  inch  of  the  neophyte 's 
skin  was  painted  in  vivid  and  fantastic  colors.  Even 
the  nails  on  his  fingers  and  toes  were  painted.  More 
over,  everyone  had  pushed  two  small  sticks  of  tough 
wood  under  the  skin  on  each  side  of  the  breast,  and  to 
these  two  sticks  was  fastened  a  rawhide  cord,  making  a 
loop  about  ten  inches  long. 

"  "What  under  the  sun  are  those  sticks  and  cords 
for?  "  asked  Albert,  shuddering. 

"  "Wait  and  we'll  see,"  replied  Dick,  who  guessed 
too  well  their  purpose,  although  he  could  not  help  but 
look. 

The  neophytes  advanced,  and  every  one  tied  one  of 
the  long  rawhide  thongs  depending  from  the  top  of  the 
pole  to  the  loop  of  cord  that  hung  from  his  breast. 

286 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

When  all  were  ready  they  formed  a  great  circle,  some 
what  after  the  fashion  of  the  dancers  around  a  May 
pole,  and  outside  of  these  formed  another  and  greater 
circle  of  those  already  initiated. 

A  medicine  man  began  to  blow  a  small  whistle  made 
from  the  wing  bone  of  an  eagle,  the  sacred  bird  of  the 
Sioux,  and  he  never  stopped  blowing  it  for  an  instant. 
It  gave  forth  a  shrill,  penetrating  sound,  tha>t  began 
after  a  while  to  work  upon  the  nerves  in  a  way  that 
was  almost  unendurable  to  Dick  and  Albert. 

At  the  first  sound  of  the  whistle  the  warriors  began 
to  dance  around  the  pole,  keeping  time  to  the  weird 
music.  It  was  a  hideous  and  frightful  dance,  like 
some  cruel  rite  of  a  far-off  time.  The  object  was  to  tear 
the  peg  from  the  body,  breaking  by  violence  through 
the  skin  and  flesh  that  held  it,  and  this  proved  that  the 
neophyte  by  his  endurance  of  excessive  pain  was  fit  to 
become  a  great  warrior. 

But  the  pegs  held  fast  for  a  long  time,  while  the 
terrible,  wailing  cry  of  the  whistle  went  on  and  on. 
Dick  and  Albert  wanted  to  turn  away— in  fact,  they 
had  a  violent  impulse  more  than  once  to  run  from  it — 
but  the  eyes  of  the  Sioux  were  upon  them,  and  they 
knew  that  they  would  consider  them  cowards  if  they 
could  not  bear  to  look  upon  that  which  others  no  older 
than  themselves  endured.  There  was  also  the  incessant, 
terrible  wailing  of  the  whistle,  which  seemed  to  charm 
them  and  hold  them. 

The  youths  by  and  by  began  to  pull  loose  from  the 
thongs,  and  in  some  cases  where  it  was  evident  that 
they  would  not  be  able  to  do  so  a  medicine  man  wottld 

287 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

seize  them  by  the  shoulders  and  help  pull.  In  no  case 
did  a  dancer  give  up,  although  they  often  fell  in  a  faint 
when  loosed.  Then  they  were  carried  away  to  be  re 
vived,  but  for  three  days  and  three  nights  not  a  single 
neophyte  could  touch  food,  water,  or  any  other  kind  of 
drink.  They  were  also  compelled,  as  soon  as  they  re 
covered  a  measurable  degree  of  strength,  to  join  the 
larger  group  and  dance  three  days  and  nights  around 
the  neophytes,  who  successively  took  their  places. 

The  whole  sight,  with  the  wailing  of  the  whistle,  the 
ghouts  of  the  dancers,  the  beat  of  their  feet,  and  the 
hard,  excited  breathing  of  the  thousands  about  them, 
became  weird  and  uncanny.  Dick  felt  as  if  some 
strange,  deadly  odor  had  mounted  to  his  brain,  and 
while  he  struggled  between  going  and  staying  a  new 
shout  arose. 

A  fresh  group  of  neophytes  sprang  into  the  inclosed 
place.  Every  one  of  these  had  the  little  sticks  thrust 
through  the  upper  point  of  the  shoulder  blade  instead 
of  the  breast,  while  from  the  loop  dangled  a  buffalo 
head.  They  danced  violently  until  the  weight  of  the 
head  pulled  the  sticks  loose,  and  then,  like  their  breth 
ren  of  the  pole,  joined  the  great  ring  of  outside  dancers 
when  they  were  able. 

The  crowd  of  neophytes  increased,  as  they  gave  way 
in  turn  to  one  another,  and  the  throng  about  them 
thickened.  Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  dancers  whirled 
and  jumped  to  the  shrill,  incessant  blowing  of  the  eagle- 
bone  whistle.  It  seemed  at  times  to  the  excited  imag 
inations  of  Dick  and  Albert  that  the  earth  rocked  to 
the  mighty  tread  of  the  greatest  of  all  sun  dances. 

288 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

Indian  stoicism  was  gone,  perspiration  streamed  from 
dark  faces,  eyes  became  bloodshot  as  their  owners 
danced  with  feverish  vigor,  savage  shouts  burst  forth, 
and  the  demon  dance  grew  wilder  and  wilder. 

The  tread  of  thousands  of  feet  caused  a  fine,  impal 
pable  dust  to  rise  from  the  earth  beneath  the  grass  and 
to  permeate  all  the  air,  filling  the  eyes  and  nostrils  of 
the  dancers,  heating  their  brains  and  causing  them  to 
see  through  a  red  mist.  Some  fell  exhausted.  If  they 
were  in  the  way,  they  were  dragged  to  one  side;  if 
not,  they  lay  where  they  fell,  but  in  either  case  others 
took  their  places  and  the  whirling  multitude  always  in 
creased  in  numbers. 

As  far  as  Dick  and  Albert  could  see  the  Sioux  were 
dancing.  There  was  a  sea  of  tossing  heads  and  a  multi 
tude  of  brown  bodies  shining  with  perspiration.  Never 
for  a  moment  did  the  shrill,  monotonous,  unceasing 
rhythm  of  the  whistle  cease  to  dominate  the  dance.  It 
always  rose  above  the  beat  of  the  dancers,  it  penetrated 
everything,  ruled  everything— this  single,  shrill  note, 
like  the  chant  of  the  snake  charmer.  It  even  showed  its 
power  over  Dick  and  Albert.  They  felt  their  nerves 
throbbing  to  it  in  an  unwilling  response,  and  the  dust 
and  the  vivid  electric  excitement  of  the  dancers  began 
to  heat  their  own  brains. 

"  Don't  forget  that  we're  white,  Al!  Don't  forget 
it!  "  cried  Dick. 

* 1  I  'm  trying  not  to  forget  it !  ' '   gasped  Albert. 

The  sun,  a  lurid,  red  sun,  went  down  behind  the 
hills,  and  a  twilight  that  seemed  to  Dick  and  Albert 
phantasmagorial  and  shot  with  red  crept  over  the  earth. 

289 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

But  the  dance  did  not  abate  in  either  vigor  or  excite 
ment  ;  rather  it  increased.  In  the  twilight  and  the  dark 
ness  that  followed  it  assumed  new  aspects  of  the  weird 
and  uncanny.  Despite  the  torches  that  flared  up,  the 
darkness  was  mainly  in  control.  Now  the  dancers, 
whirling  about  the  pole  and  straining  on  the  cords,  were 
seen  plainly,  and  now  they  were  only  shadows,  phan 
toms  in  the  dusk. 

Dick  and  Albert  had  moved  but  little  for  a  long 
time;  the  wailing  of  the  demon  whistle  held  them,  and 
they  felt  that  there  was  a  singular  attraction,  too,  in 
this  sight,  which  was  barbarism  and  superstition  pure 
and  simple,  yet  not  without  its  power.  They  were  still 
standing  there  when  the  moon  came  out,  throwing  a 
veil  of  silver  gauze  over  the  dancers,  the  lodges,  the 
surface  of  the  river,  and  the  hills,  but  it  took  nothing 
away  from  the  ferocious  aspect  of  the  dance ;  it  was  still 
savagery,  the  custom  of  a  remote,  fierce,  old  world. 
Dick  and  Albert  at  last  recovered  somewhat ;  they  threw 
off  the  power  of  the  flute  and  the  excited  air  that  they 
breathed  and  began  to  assume  again  the  position  of 
mere  spectators. 

It  was  then  that  Bright  Sun  came  upon  them,  and 
they  noticed  with  astonishment  that  he,  the  product  of 
the  white  schools  and  of  years  of  white  civilization,  had 
been  dancing,  too.  There  was  perspiration  on  his  face, 
his  breath  was  short  and  quick,  and  his  eyes  were  red 
with  excitement.  He  marked  their  surprise,  and  said : 

"  You  think  it  strange  that  I,  too,  dance.  Yom  think 
all  this  barbarism  and  superstition,  but  it  is  not.  It  is 
the  custom  of  my  people,  a  custom  that  has  the  sanction 

290 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

of  many  centuries,  and  that  is  bred  into  our  bone  and 
blood.  Therefore  it  is  of  use  to  us,  and  it  is  more  fit 
than  anything  else  to  arouse  us  for  the  great  crisis  that 
we  are  to  meet." 

Neither  Dick  nor  Albert  made  any  reply.  Both  saw 
that  the  great  deep  of  the  Sioux  chief's  stoicism  was  for 
the  moment  broken  up.  He  might  never  be  so  stirred 
again,  but  there  was  no  doubt  of  it  now,  and  they  could 
see  his  side  of  it,  too.  It  was  his  people  and  their  cus 
toms  against  the  white  man,  the  stranger.  The  blood 
of  a  thousand  years  was  speaking  in  him. 

When  he  saw  that  they  had  no  answer  for  him, 
Bright  Sun  left  them  and  became  engrossed  once  more 
with  the  dance,  continually  urging  it  forward,  bringing 
on  more  neophytes,  and  increasing  the  excitement.  Dick 
and  Albert  remained  a  while  longer,  looking  on.  Their 
guards,  Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree,  still  stood  beside 
them.  The  two  young  warriors,  true  to  their  orders, 
had  made  no  effort  to  join  the  dancers,  but  their  nos 
trils  were  twitching  and  their  eyes  bloodshot.  The 
revel  called  to  them  incessantly,  but  they  could  not  go. 

Dick  felt  at  last  that  he  had  seen  enough  of  so  wild 
a  scene.  One  could  not  longer  endure  the  surcharged 
air,  the  wailing  of  the  whistle,  the  shouts,  the  chants, 
and  the  beat  of  thousands  of  feet. 

"  Al,"  he  said,  "  let's  go  back  to  our  lodge,  if  onr 
guards  will  let  us,  and  try  to  sleep." 

"  The  sooner  the  better,"  said  Albert. 

Lone  Wolf  and  Pine  Tree  were  willing  enough,  and 
Dick  suspected  that  they  would  join  the  dance  later. 
After  Albert  had  gone  in,  he  stood  a  moment  at  the 

291 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

door  of  the  lodge  and  looked  again  npon  this,  the  wild 
est  and  most  extraordinary  scene  that  he  had  yet  beheld. 
It  was  late  in  the  night  and  the  center  of  the  sun  dance 
was  some  distance  from  the  lodge,  but  the  shrill  wailing 
of  the  whistle  still  reached  him  and  the  heavy  tread  of 
the  dancers  came  in  a  monotonous  rhythm.  "  It's  the 
greatest  of  all  nightmares, ' '  he  said  to  himself. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  either  Dick  or  Albert  could 
sleep,  and  when  Dick  awoke  at  some  vague  hour  be 
tween  midnight  and  morning  he  was  troubled  by  a 
shrill,  wailing  note  that  pierced  the  drum  of  his  ear. 
Then  he  remembered.  The  whistle !  And  after  it  came 
the  rhythmic,  monotonous  beat  of  many  feet,  as  steady 
and  persistent  as  ever.  The  sun  dance  had  never  ceased 
for  a  moment,  and  he  fell  asleep  again  with  the  sounds 
of  it  still  in  his  ear. 

The  dance,  which  was  begun  at  the  ripening  of  the 
wild  sage,  continued  three  days  and  nights  without  the 
stop  of  an  instant.  No  food  and  no  drink  passed  the 
lips  of  the  neophytes,  who  danced  throughout  that  time 
— if  they  fell  they  rose  to  dance  again.  Then  at  the 
appointed  hour  it  all  ceased,  although  every  warrior 's 
brain  was  at  white  heat  and  he  was  ready  to  go  forth  at 
once  against  a  myriad  enemies.  It  was  as  if  everyone 
had  drunk  of  some  powerful  and  exciting  Eastern  drug. 

The  dance  ended,  they  began  to  eat,  and  neither 
Dick  nor  Albert  had  ever  before  seen  such  eating.  The 
cooking  fires  of  the  squaws  rose  throughout  the  entire 
five  miles  of  the  village.  They  had  buffalo,  deer,  bear, 
antelope,  and  smaller  game  in  abundance,  and  the  war 
riors  ate  until  they  fell  upon  the  ground,  where  they 

292 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

lay  in  a  long  stupor.  The  boys  thought  that  many  of 
them  would  surely  die,  but  they  came  from  their  stupor 
unharmed  and  were  ready  for  instant  battle.  There 
were  many  new  warriors,  too,  because  none  had  failed 
at  the  test,  and  all  were  eager  to  show  their  valor. 

'  '  It 's  like  baiting  a  wild  beast, ' '  said  Dick.  ' '  There 
are  five  thousand  ravening  savages  here,  ready  to  fight 
anything,  and  to-night  I'm  going  to  try  to  escape. " 

"  If  you  try,  I  try,  too,"  said  Albert. 

' '  Of  course, ' '  said  Dick. 

The  village  was  resting  from  its  emotional  orgy,  and 
the  guard  upon  the  two  boys  was  relaxed  somewhat.  In 
fact,  it  seemed  wholly  unnecessary,  as  they  were  rimmed 
around  by  the  vigilance  of  many  thousand  eyes.  But, 
spurred  by  the  cruel  need,  Dick  resolved  that  they 
should  try.  Fortunately,  the  very  next  night  was  quite 
dark,  and  only  a  single  Indian,  Pine  Tree,  was  on  guard. 

"  It's  to-night  or  never,"  whispered  Dick  to  Al 
bert  within  the  shelter  of  the  lodge.  "  They've  never 
taken  the  trouble  to  bind  us,  and  that  gives  us  at  least 
a  fighting  chance. ' ' 

"  When  shall  we  slip  out?  " 

"  Not  before  about  three  in  the  morning.  That  is 
the  most  nearly  silent  hour,  and  if  the  heathenish  curs 
\et  us  alone  we  may  get  away." 

Fortune  seemed  to  favor  the  two.  The  moon  did  not 
eome  out,  and  the  promise  of  a  dark  night  was  fulfilled. 
An  unusual  stillness  was  over  the  village.  It  seemed 
that  everybody  slept.  Dick  and  Albert  waited  through 
long,  long  hours.  Dick  had  nothing  by  which  to  reckon 
time,  but  he  believed  that  he  could  calculate  fairly  well 

293 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

by  guess,  and  once,  when  he  thought  it  was  fully  mid 
night,  he  peeped  out  at  the  door  of  the  lodge.  Pine 
Tree  was  there,  leaning  against  a  sapling,  hut  his  atti 
tude  showed  laziness  and  a  lack  of  vigilance.  It  might 
be  that,  feeling  little  need  of  watching,  he  slept  on  his 
feet.  Dick  devoutly  hoped  so.  He  waited  at  least  two 
hours  longer,  and  again  peeped  out.  The  attitude  of 
Pine  Tree  had  not  changed.  It  must  certainly  be  sleep 
that  held  him,  and  Dick  and  Albert  prepared  to  go 
forth.  They  had  no  arms,  and  could  trust  only  to 
silence  and  speed. 

Dick  was  the  first  outside,  and  stood  in  the  shadow 
of  the  lodge  until  Albert  joined  him.  There  they  paused 
to  choose  a  way  among  the  lodges  and  to  make  a  further 
inspection  of  sleeping  Pine  Tree. 

The  quiet  of  the  village  was  not  broken.  The  lodges 
stretched  away  in  dusky  rows  and  then  were  lost  in 
darkness.  This  promised  well,  and  their  eyes  came 
back  to  Pine  Tree,  who  was  still  sleeping.  Then  Dick 
became  conscious  of  a  beam  of  light,  or  rather  two 
beams.  These  beams  shot  straight  from  the  open  eyes 
of  Pine  Tree,  who  was  not  asleep  at  all.  The  next  in 
stant  Pine  Tree  opened  his  mouth,  uttered  a  yell  that 
was  amazingly  loud  and  piercing,  and  leaped  straight 
for  the  two  boys. 

As  neither  Dick  nor  Albert  had  arms,  they  could 
do  nothing  but  run,  and  they  fled  between  the  lodges 
at  great  speed,  Pine  Tree  hot  upon  their  heels.  It 
amazed  Dick  to  find  that  the  whole  population  of  a 
big  town  could  awake  so  quickly.  Warriors,  squaws, 
and  children  swarmed  from  the  lodges  and  fell  upon 

294 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

him  and  Albert  in  a  mass.  He  could  only  see  in  the 
darkness  that  Albert  had  been  seized  and  dragged 
away,  but  he  knew  that  two  uncommonly  strong  old 
squaws  had  him  by  the  hair,  three  half-grown  boys 
were  clinging  to  his  legs,  and  a  powerful  warrior  laid 
hold  of  his  right  shoulder.  He  deemed  it  wisest  in  such 
a  position  to  yield  as  quickly  and  gracefully  as  he 
could,  in  the  hope  that  the  two  wiry  old  women  would 
be  detached  speedily  from  his  hair.  This  object  was 
achieved  as  soon  as  the  Sioux  saw  that  he  did  not  re 
sist,  and  the  vigilant  Pine  Tree  stood  before  him,  watch 
ing,  with  an  expression  that  Dick  feared  could  be  called 
a  grin. 

11  The  honors  are  yours, "  said  Dick  as  politely  as 
he  could,  ' '  but  tell  me  what  has  become  of  my  brother.  ' ' 

"  He  is  being  taken  to  the  other  side  of  the  river/1 
said  the  voice  of  Bright  Sun  over  Pine  Tree's  shoulder, 
"  and  he  and  you  will  be  kept  apart  until  we  decide 
what  to  do  with  you.  It  was  foolish  in  you  to  attempt 
to  escape.  I  had  warned  you." 

"  I  admit  it,"  said  Dick,  "  but  you  in  my  place 
would  have  done  the  same.  One  can  only  try. ' ' 

He  tried  to  speak  with  philosophy,  but  he  was  sorely 
troubled  over  being  separated  from  his  brother.  Their 
comradeship  in  captivity  had  been  a  support  to  each 
other. 

There  was  no  sympathy  in  the  voice  of  Bright  Sun. 
He  spoke  coldly,  sternly,  like  a  great  war  chief.  Dick 
understood,  and  was  too  proud  to  make  any  appeal. 
Bright  Sun  said  a  few  words  to  the  warriors,  and 
walked  away. 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

Dick  was  taken  to  another  and  larger  lodge,  in 
which  several  warriors  slept.  There,  after  his  arms 
were  securely  bound,  he  was  allowed  to  lie  down  on  a 
rush  mat,  with  warriors  on  rush  mats  on  either  side  -of 
him.  Dick  was  not  certain  whether  the  warriors  slept, 
but  he  knew  that  he  did  not  close  his  eyes  again  that 
night. 

Although  strong  and  courageous,  Dick  Howard  suf 
fered  much  mental  torture.  Bright  Sun  was  a  Sioux, 
wholly  an  Indian  (he  had  seen  that  at  the  sun  dance), 
and  if  Albert  and  he  were  no  longer  of  any  possible 
use  as  hostages,  Bright  Sun  would  not  trouble  himself 
to  protect  them.  He  deeply  regretted  their  wild  at 
tempt  at  escape,  which  he  had  felt  from  the  first  was 
almost  hopeless.  Yet  he  believed,  on  second  thought, 
that  they  had  been  justified  in  making  the  trial.  The 
great  sun  dance,  the  immense  gathering  of  warriors 
keyed  for  battle,  showed  the  imminent  need  of  warning 
to  the  white  commanders,  who  would  not  dream  that  the 
Sioux  were  in  such  mighty  force.  Between  this  anxiety 
and  that  other  one  for  Albert,  thinking  little  of  himself 
meanwhile,  Dick  writhed  in  his  bonds.  But  he  could  do 
nothing  else. 

The  warriors  rose  from  their  rush  mats  at  dawn  and 
ate  flesh  of  the  buffalo  and  deer  and  their  favorite 
wa-nsa.  Dick's  arms  were  unbound,  and  he,  too,  was 
allowed  to  eat;  but  he  had  little  appetite,  and  when  the 
warriors  saw  that  he  had  finished  they  bound  him 
again. 

cc  What  are  you  poms  to  do  to  me?  "  asked  Dick 
in  a  kind  of  vague  curiosity. 

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THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

No  one  gave  any  answer.  They  did  not  seem  to 
hear  him.  Dick  fancied  that  some  of  them  understood 
English,  but  chose  to  leave  him  in  ignorance.  He  re 
solved  to  imitate  their  own  stoicism  and  wait.  When 
they  bound  his  arms  again,  and  his  feet  also,  he  made 
no  resistance,  but  lay  down  quietly  on  the  rush  mat  and 
gazed  with  an  air  of  indifference  at  the  skin  wall  of  the 
lodge.  All  the  warriors  went  out,  except  one,  who  sat 
in  the  doorway  with  his  rifle  on  his  knee. 

"  They  flatter  me,"  thought  Dick.  "  They  must 
think  me  of  some  importance  or  that  I'm  dangerous, 
since  they  bind  and  guard  me  so  well. ' ' 

His  thongs  of  soft  deerskin,  while  secure,  were  not 
galling.  They  neither  chafed  nor  prevented  the  circu 
lation,  and  when  he  grew  tired  of  lying  in  one  position 
he  could  turn  into  another.  But  it  was  terribly  hard 
waiting.  He  did  not  know  what  was  before  him.  Tor 
ture  or  death?  Both,  most  likely.  He  tried  to  be  re 
signed,  but  how  could  one  be  resigned  when  one  was  so 
young  and  so  strong?  The  hum  of  the  village  life  came 
to  him,  the  sound  of  voices,  the  tread  of  feet,  the  twang 
of  a  boyish  bowstring,  but  the  guard  in  the  doorway 
never  stirred.  It  seemed  to  Dick  that  the  Sioux,  who 
wore  very  little  clothing,  was  carved  out  of  reddish- 
brown  stone.  Dick  wondered  if  he  would  ever  move, 
and  lying  on  his  back  he  managed  to  raise  his  head  a 
little  on  the  doubled  corner  of  the  rush  mat,  and 
watched  that  he  might  see. 

Bound,  helpless,  and  shut  off  from  the  rest  of  tne 
world,  this  question  suddenly  became  vital  to  him: 
Would  that  Indian  ever  move,  or  would  he  not?  He 

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THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

must  have  been  sitting  in  that  position  at  least  two 
hours.  Always  he  stared  straight  before  him,  the  mus 
cles  on  his  bare  arms  never  quivered  in  the  slightest, 
and  the  rifle  lay  immovable  across  knees  which  also  were 
bare.  How  could  he  do  it?  How  could  he  have  such 
control  over  his  nerves  and  body?  Dick's  mind  slowly 
filled  with  wonder,  and  then  he  began  to  have  a  suspi 
cion  that  the  Sioux  was  not  real,  merely  some  phantom 
of  the  fancy,  or  that  he  himself  was  dreaming.  It  made 
him  angry — angry  at  himself,  angry  at  the  Sioux,  angry 
at  everything.  He  closed  his  eyes,  held  them  tightly 
shut  for  five  minutes,  and  then  opened  them  again. 
The  Sioux  was  still  there.  Dick  was  about  to  break 
through  his  assumed  stoicism  and  shout  at  the  warrior, 
but  he  checked  himself,  and  with  a  great  effort  took 
control  again  of  his  wandering  nerves. 

He  knew  now  that  the  warrior  was  real,  and  that 
he  must  have  moved  some  time  or  other,  but  he  did  not 
find  rest  of  spirit.  A  shaft  of  sunshine  by  and  by  en 
tered  the  narrow  door  of  the  lodge  and  fell  across  Dick 
himself.  He  knew  that  it  must  be  a  fair  day,  but  he 
was  sorry  for  it.  The  sun  ought  not  to  shine  when  he 
was  at  such  a  pass. 

Another  interminable  period  passed,  and  an  old 
squaw  entered  with  a  bowl  of  wa-nsa,  and  behind  her 
came  Lone  Wolf,  who  unbound  Dick. 

"  What's  up  now,  Mr.  Lone  Wolf?  "  asked  Dick 
with  an  attempt  at  levity.  "  Is  it  a  fight  or  a  foot 
race?  " 

"  Eat/'  replied  Lone  Wolf  sententiously,  pointing 
of  the  bowl  of  wa-nsa.  "  You  will  need  your  strength. " 

298 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

Dick's  heart  fell  at  these  words  despite  all  his  self- 
command.  "  My  time's  come,"  he  thought.  He  tried 
to  eat — in  fact,  he  forced  himself  to  eat — that  Lone 
Wolf  might  not  think  that  he  quailed,  and  when  he  had 
eaten  as  much  as  his  honor  seemed  to  demand  he 
stretched  his  muscles  and  said  to  Lone  Wolf,  with  a 
good  attempt  at  indifference: 

11  Lead  on,  my  wolfish  friend.  I  don't  know  what 
kind  of  a  welcome  mine  is  going  to  be,  but  I  suppose  it 
is  just  as  well  to  find  out  now." 

The  face  of  Lone  Wolf  did  not  relax.  He  seemed  to 
have  a  full  appreciation  of  what  was  to  come  and  no 
time  for  idle  jests.  He  merely  pointed  to  the  doorway, 
and  Dick  stepped  out  into  the  sunshine.  Lying  so  long 
in  the  dusky  lodge,  he  was  dazzled  at  first  by  the 
brilliancy  of  the  day,  but  when  his  sight  grew  stronger 
he  beheld  a  multitude  about  him.  The  women  and 
children  began  to  chatter,  but  the  warriors  were  silent. 
Dick  saw  that  he  was  the  center  of  interest,  and  was 
quite  sure  that  he  was  looking  upon  his  last  sun.  "  0 
Lord,  let  me  die  bravely !  ' '  was  his  silent  prayer. 

He  resolved  to  imitate  as  nearly  as  he  could  the 
bearing  of  an  Indian  warrior  in  his  position,  and  made 
no  resistance  as  Lone  Wolf  led  him  on,  with  the  great 
throng  following.  He  glanced  around  once  for  Bright 
Sun,  but  did  not  see  him.  The  fierce  chief  whom  they 
called  Ite-Moga'  Ju  (Rain-in-the-Faee)  seemed  to  be  in 
charge  of  Dick's  fate,  and  he  directed  the  proceedings. 

But  stoicism  could  not  prevail  entirely,  and  Dick 
looked  about  him  again.  He  saw  the  yellow  waters  of 
the  river  with  the  sunlight  playing  upon  them;  the 

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THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

great  village  stretching  away  on  either  shore  until  it 
was  hidden  by  the  trees  and  undergrowth;  the  pleasant 
hills  and  all  the  pleasant  world,  so  hard  to  leave.  His 
eyes  dwelt  particularly  upon  the  hill,  a  high  one,  over 
looking  the  whole  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  and  the 
light  was  so  clear  that  he  could  see  every  bush  and 
shrub  waving  there. 

His  eyes  came  back  from  the  hill  to  the  throng  about 
him.  He  had  felt  at  times  a  sympathy  for  the  Sioux 
because  the  white  man  was  pressing  upon  them,  driving 
them  from  their  ancient  hunting  grounds  that  they 
loved;  but  they  were  now  wholly  savage  and  cruel- 
men,  women,  and  children  alike.  He  hated  them  all. 

Dick  was  taken  to  the  summit  of  one  of  the  lower 
hills,  on  which  he  could  be  seen  by  everybody  and  from 
which  he  could  see  in  a  vast  circle.  He  was  tied  in  a 
peculiar  manner.  His  hands  remained  bound  behind 
him,  but  his  feet  were  free.  One  end  of  a  stout  rawhide 
was  secured  around  his  waist  and  the  other  around  a 
sapling,  leaving  him  a  play  of  about  a  half  yard.  He 
could  not  divine  the  purpose  of  this,  but  he  was  soon  to 
learn. 

Six  half-grown  boys,  with  bows  and  arrows,  then 
seldom  used  by  grown  Sioux,  formed  in  a  line  at  a  little 
distance  from  him,  and  at  a  word  from  Rain-in-the- 
Face  leveled  their  bows  and  fitted  arrow  to  the  string. 
Dick  thought  at  first  they  were  going  to  slay  him  at 
once,  but  he  remembered  that  the  Indian  did  not  do 
things  that  way.  He  knew  it  was  some  kind  of  torture, 
and  although  he  shivered  he  steadied  his  mind  to  face  it. 

Kain-in-the-Face  spoke  again,  and  six  bowstrings 
300 


THE    GREAT    SUN   DANCE 

twanged.  Six  arrows  whizzed  by  Dick,  three  on  one 
side  and  three  on  the  other,  but  all  so  close  that,  despite 
every  effort  of  the  will,  he  shrank  back  against  the  sap 
ling.  A  roar  of  laughter  came  from  the  crowd,  and 
Pick  flushed  through  all  the  tan  of  two  years  in  the 
open  air.  Now  he  understood  why  the  rawhide  allowed 
him  so  much  play.  It  was  a  torture  of  the  nerves  and 
of  the  mind.  They  would  shoot  their  arrows  by  him, 
graze  him  perhaps  if  he  stood  steady,  but  if  he  sought 
to  evade  through  fear,  if  he  sprang  either  to  one  side  or 
the  other,  they  might  strike  in  a  vital  spot. 

He  summoned  up  the  last  ounce  of  his  courage,  put 
his  back  against  the  sapling  and  resolved  that  he  would 
not  move,  even  if  an  arrow  carried  some  of  his  skin  with 
it.  The  bowstrings  twanged  again,  and  again  six  ar 
rows  whistled  by.  Dick  quivered,  but  he  did  not  move, 
and  some  applause  came  from  the  crowd.  Although  it 
was  the  applause  of  enemies,  of  barbarians,  who  wished 
to  see  him  suffer,  it  encouraged  Dick.  He  would  endure 
everything  and  he  would  not  look  at  these  cruel  faces; 
so  he  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  high  hill  and  did  not  look 
away  when  the  bowstrings  twanged  a  third  time.  As 
before,  he  heard  the  arrows  whistle  by  him,  and  the 
shiver  came  into  his  blood,  but  his  will  did  not  let  it 
extend  to  his  body.  He  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
hill,  and  suddenly  a  speck  appeared  before  them.  No, 
it  was  not  a  speck,  and,  incredible  as  it  seemed,  Dick 
was  sure  that  he  saw  a  horseman  come  around  the  base 
of  the  hill  and  stop  there,  gazing  into  the  valley  upon 
the  great  village  and  the  people  thronging  about  the 
bound  boy. 

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THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

A  second  and  a  third  horseman  appeared,  and  Dick 
could  doubt  no  longer.  They  were  white  cavalrymen 
in  the  army  uniform,  scouts  or  the  vanguard,  he  knew 
not  what.  Dick  held  his  breath,  and  again  that  shiver 
came  into  his  blood.  Then  he  heard  and  saw  an  ex 
traordinary  thing.  A  singular  deep,  long-drawn  cry 
came  from  the  multitude  in  unison,  a  note  of  surprise 
and  mingled  threat.  Then  all  whirled  about  at  the  same 
moment  and  gazed  at  the  horsemen  at  the  base  of  the 
hill. 

The  cavalrymen  quickly  turned  back,  rode  around 
the  hill  and  out  of  sight.  Dozens  of  warriors  rushed 
forward,  hundreds  ran  to  the  lodges  for  more  weapons 
and  ammunition,  the  women  poured  in  a  stream  down 
toward  the  river  and  away,  the  boys  with  the  bows  and 
arrows  disappeared,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Dick  was  left 
alone. 

Unnoticed,  but  bound  and  helpless,  the  boy  stood 
there  on  the  little  hill,  while  the  feverish  life,  bursting 
now  into  a  turbulent  stream,  whirled  and  eddied  around 
him. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE   CIRCLE   OF   DEATH 

THE  quiver  in  Dick's  blood  did  not  cease  now. 
He  forgot  for  the  time  being  that  he  was  bound, 
and  stood  there  staring  at  the  hill  where  three 
horsemen  had  been  for  a  few  vivid  moments.  These 
men  must  be  proof  that  a  white  army  was  near;  but 
would  this  army  know  what  an  immense  Sioux  force  was 
waiting  for  it  in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn  ? 

He  tried  to  take  his  eyes  away  from  the  hill,  but  he 
could  not.  He  seemed  to  know  every  tree  and  shrub  on 
it.  There  at  the  base,  in  that  slight  depression,  the 
three  horsemen  had  stood,  but  none  came  to  take  their 
place.  In  the  Indian  village  an  immense  activity  was 
going  on,  both  on  Dick's  side  of  the  river  and  the 
other.  A  multitude  of  warriors  plunged  into  the  under 
growth  on  the  far  bank  of  the  stream,  where  they  lay 
hidden,  while  another  multitude  was  gathering  on  this 
side  in  front  of  the  lodges.  The  gullies  and  ravines 
were  lined  with  hordes.  The  time  was  about  two  in  the 
afternoon. 

A  chief  appeared  on  the  slope  not  far  from  Dick.  It 
was  Bright  Sun  in  all  the  glory  of  battle  array,  and  he 
glanced  at  the  tethered  youth.  Dick's  glance  met  his. 

303 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  he  saw  the  shadow  of  a  faint,  superior  smile  on  the 
face  of  the  chief.  Bright  Sun  started  to  say  something 
to  a  warrior,  but  checked  himself.  He  seemed  to  think 
that  Dick  was  secured  well  enough,  and  he  did  not  look 
at  him  again.  Instead,  he  gazed  at  the  base  of  the  hill 
where  the  horsemen  had  been,  and  while  he  stood  there 
he  was  joined  by  the  chiefs  Rain-in-the-Face  and  Young- 
Man- Afraid-of-His-Horses. 

Dick  never  knew  how  long  a  time  passed  while  they 
all  waited.  The  rattle  of  arms,  the  shouts,  and  the 
tread  of  feet  in  the  village  ceased.  There  was  an  in 
tense,  ominous  silence  broken  only,  whether  in  fact  or 
fancy  Dick  could  not  tell,  by  the  heavy  breathing  of 
thousands.  The  sun  came  out  more  brightly  and  poured 
its  light  over  the  town  and  the  river,  but  it  did  not 
reveal  the  army  of  the  Sioux  swallowed  up  in  the  un 
dergrowth  on  the  far  bank.  So  well  were  they  hidden 
that  their  arms  gave  back  no  gleam. 

Dick  forgot  where  he  was,  forgot  that  he  was  bound, 
so  tense  were  the  moments  and  so  eagerly  did  he  watch 
the  base  of  the  hill.  When  a  long  time— at  least,  Dick 
thought  it  so— had  passed,  a  murmur  came  from  the  vil 
lage  below.  The  men  were  but  scouts  and  had  gone 
away,  and  no  white  army  was  near.  That  was  Dick's 
own  thought,  too. 

As  the  murmur  sank,  Dick  suddenly  straightened 
up.  The  black  speck  appeared  again  before  his  eyes. 
New  horsemen  stood  where  the  three  had  been,  and  be 
hind  them  was  a  moving  mass,  black  in  the  sun.  The 
white  army  had  come ! 

Bright  Sun  suddenly  turned  upon  Dick  a  glance 
304 


THE    CIRCLE    OF   DEATH 

so  full  of  malignant  triumph  that  the  boy  shuddered 
Then,  clear  and  full  over  the  valley  rose  the  battle  cry 
of  the  trumpets,  a  joyous,  inspiring  sound  calling  men 
on  to  glory  or  death.  Out  from  the  hill  came  the 
moving  mass  of  white  horsemen,  rank  after  rank,  and 
Dick  saw  one  in  front,  a  man  with  long  yellow  hair, 
_natch  off  his  hat,  wave  it  around  his  head,  and  come  on 
at  a  gallop.  Behind  him  thundered  the  whole  army, 
stirrup  to  stirrup. 

Bright  Sun,  Rain-in-the-Face,  and  Young-Man- 
Afraid-of-His-Horses  darted  away,  and  then  Dick 
thought  of  the  freedom  that  he  wanted  so  much.  They 
were  his  people  coming  so  gallantly  down  the  valley, 
and  he  should  be  there.  He  pulled  at  the  rawhide,  but 
it  would  not  break;  he  tried  to  slip  his  wrists  loose, 
but  they  would  not  come ;  and,  although  unnoticed  now, 
he  was  compelled  to  stand  there,  still  a  prisoner,  and 
merely  see. 

The  horsemen  came  on  swiftly,  a  splendid  force  rid 
ing  well— trained  soldiers,  compact  of  body  and  ready 
of  hand.  The  slope  thundered  with  their  hoofbeats  as 
they  came  straight  toward  the  river.  Dick  drew  one 
long,  deep  breath  of  admiration,  and  then  a  terrible  fear 
Assailed  him.  Did  these  men  who  rode  so  well  know 
"mto  what  they  were  riding? 

The  stillness  prevailed  yet  a  little  longer  in  the 
Indian  village.  The  women  and  children  were  again 
running  up  the  river,  but  they  were  too  far  away  for 
Dick  to  hear  them,  and  he  was  watching  his  own  army. 
Straight  on  toward  the  river  rode  the  horsemen,  with 
the  yellow-haired  general  at  their  head,  still  waving  bia 

305 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

hat.  Strong  and  mellow,  the  song  of  the  trumpet  again 
sang  over  the  valley,  but  the  terrible  fear  at  Dick's 
heart  grew. 

It  was  obvious  to  the  boy  that  the  army  of  Ouster 
intended  to  cross  the  river,  here  not  more  than  two 
feet  deep,  but  on  their  flank  was  the  deadly  quicksand 
and  on  the  opposite  shore  facing  them  the  hidden  war 
riors  lay  in  hundreds.  Dick  pulled  again  at  his  bonds 
and  began  to  shout :  ' '  Not  there !  Not  there !  Turn 
away!  "  But  his  voice  was  lost  in  the  pealing  of  the 
trumpets  and  the  hoof  beats  of  many  horses. 

They  were  nearing  the  river  and  the  warriors  were 
swarming  on  their  flank,  still  held  in  leash  by  Bright 
Sun,  while  the  great  medicine  man,  Sitting  Bull,  the 
sweat  pouring  from  his  face,  was  making  the  most  pow 
erful  medicine  of  his  life.  Nearer  and  nearer  they  rode, 
the  undergrowth  still  waving  gently  and  harmlessly  in 
the  light  wind. 

Dick  stopped  shouting.  All  at  once  he  was  con 
scious  of  its  futility.  Nobody  heard  him.  Nobody 
heeded  him.  He  was  only  an  unnoticed  spectator  of  a 
great  event.  He  stood  still  now,  back  to  the  tree,  gazing 
toward  the  river  and  the  advancing  force.  Something 
wet  dropped  into  his  eye  and  he  winked  it  away.  It 
was  the  sweat  from  his  own  brow. 

The  mellow  notes  of  the  trumpet  sang  once  more, 
echoing  far  over  the  valley,  and  the  hoofs  beat  with 
rhythmic  tread.  The  splendid  array  of  blue-clad  men 
was  still  unbroken.  They  still  rode  heel  to  heel  and  toe 
to  toe,  and  across  the  river  the  dense  undergrowth 
moved  a  little  in  the  gentle  wind,  but  disclosed  nothing. 

306 


THE    CIRCLE   OF   DEATH 

A  few  yards  more  and  they  would  be  at  the  water. 
Then  Dick  saw  a  long  line  of  flame  burst  from  the 
bushes,  so  vivid,  so  intense  that  it  was  like  a  blazing 
bar  of  lightning,  and  a  thousand  rifles  seemed  to  crash 
as  one.  Hard  on  the  echo  of  the  great  volley  came  the 
ierce  war  cry  of  the  ambushed  Sioux,  taken  up  in  turn 
Dy  the  larger  force  on  the  flank  and  swelled  by  the  mul 
titude  of  women  and  children  farther  back.  It  was  to 
Dick  like  the  howl  of  wolves  about  to  leap  on  their  prey, 
but  many  times  stronger  and  fiercer. 

The  white  army  shivered  under  the  impact  of  the 
blow,  when  a  thousand  unexpected  bullets  were  sent 
into  its  ranks.  All  the  front  line  was  blown  away,  the 
men  were  shot  from  their  saddles,  and  many  of  the 
horses  went  down  with  them.  Others,  riderless,  gal 
loped  about  screaming  with  pain  and  fright. 

Although  the  little  army  shivered  and  reeled  for  a 
moment,  it  closed  up  again  and  went  on  toward  the 
water.  Once  more  the  deadly  rifle  fire  burst  from  the 
undergrowth,  not  a  single  volley  now,  but  continuous, 
rising  and  falling  a  little  perhaps,  but  always  heavy, 
filling  the  air  with  singing  metal  and  littering  the 
ground  with  the  wounded  and  the  dead.  The  far  side 
of  the  river  was  a  sheet  of  fire,  and  in  the  red  blaze  the 
Sioux  could  be  seen  plainly  springing  about  in  the 
undergrowth. 

The  cavalrymen  began  to  fire  also,  sending  their  bul 
lets  across  the  river  as  fast  as  they  could  pull  trigger, 
but  they  were  attacked  on  the  flank,  too,  by  the  vast 
horde  of  warriors,  directed  by  the  bravest  of  the  Sioux 
chiefs,  the  famous  Pizi  (Gall),  one  of  the  most  skillful 

307 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

and  daring  fighters  the  red  race  ever  produced,  a  man 
of  uncommon  appearance,  of  great  height,  and  with  the 
legendary  head  of  a  Caesar.  He  now  led  on  the  horde 
with  voice  and  gesture,  and  hurled  it  against  Custer's 
force,  which  was  reeling  again  under  the  deadly  fire 
from  the  other  shore  of  the  Little  Big  Horn. 

The  shouting  of  the  warriors  and  of  the  thousands 
of  women  and  children  who  watched  the  battle  was  soon 
lost  to  Dick  in  the  steady  crash  of  the  rifle  fire  which 
filled  the  whole  valley — sharp,  incessant,  like  the  drum 
of  thunder  in  the  «,ar.  A  great  cloud  of  smoke  arose 
and  drifted  over  the  combatants,  white  and  red,  but  this 
smoke  was  pierced  by  innumerable  flashes  of  fire  as  the 
red  swarms  pressed  closer  and  the  white  replied. 

Some  flaw  in  the  wind  lifted  the  smoke  and  sent  it 
high  over  the  heads  of  all.  Dick  saw  Custer,  the  gen 
eral  with  the  yellow  hair,  still  on  horseback  and  appar 
ently  unwounded,  but  the  little  army  had  stopped.  It 
had  been  riddled  already  by  the  rifle  fire  from  the  un 
dergrowth  and  could  not  cross  the  river.  The  dead 
and  wounded  on  the  ground  had  increased  greatly  in 
numbers,  and  the  riderless  horses  galloped  everywhere. 
Some  of  them  rushed  blindly  into  the  Indian  ranks, 
where  they  were  seized. 

Three  or  four  troopers  had  fallen  or  plunged  into 
the  terrible  quicksand  on  the  other  flank,  and  as  Dick 
looked  they  were  slowly  swallowed  up.  He  shut  his 
eyes,  unable  to  bear  the  sight,  and  when  he  opened  them 
he  did  not  see  the  men  any  more. 

The  smoke  flowed  in  again  and  then  was  driven 
away  once  more.  Dick  saw  that  all  of  Custer's  front 

308 


THE    CIRCLE    OF   DEATH 

ranks  were  now  dismounted,  and  were  replying  to  the 
fire  from  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Undaunted  by  the 
terrible  trap  into  which  they  had  ridden  they  came  so 
near  to  the  bank  that  many  of  them  were  slain  there, 
and  their  bodies  fell  into  the  water,  where  they  floated. 

Dick  saw  the  yellow-haired  leader  wave  his  hat 
again,  and  the  front  troopers  turned  back  from  the 
bank.  The  whole  force  turned  with  them.  All  who 
yet  lived  or  could  ride  now  sprang  from  their  horses, 
firing  at  the  same  time  into  the  horde  about  them. 
Their  ranks  were  terribly  thinned,  but  they  still  formed 
a  compact  body,  despite  the  rearing  and  kicking  of  the 
horses,  many  of  which  were  wounded  also. 

Dick  was  soldier  enough  to  know  what  they  wished 
to  do.  They  were  trying  to  reach  the  higher  ground, 
the  hills,  where  they  could  make  a  better  defense,  and 
he  prayed  mutely  that  they  might  do  it. 

The  Sioux  saw,  too,  what  was  intended,  and  they 
gave  forth  a  yell  so  full  of  ferocity  and  exultation  that 
Dick  shuddered  from  head  to  foot.  The  yell  was  taken 
up  by  the  fierce  squaws  and  boys  who  hovered  in  the 
rear,  until  it  echoed  far  up  and  down  the  banks  of  the 
Little  Big  Horn. 

The  white  force,  still  presenting  a  steady  front  and 
firing  fast,  made  way.  The  warriors  between  them 
and  the  hill  which  they  seemed  to  be  seeking  were 
driven  back,  but  the  attack  on  their  rear,  and  now  on 
both  flanks,  grew  heavier  and  almost  unbearable.  The 
outer  rim  of  Custer's  army  was  continually  being  cut 
off,  and  when  new  men  took  the  places  of  the  other* 
they,  too,  were  shot  down.  His  numbers  and  the  space 

309 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

on  which  they  stood  were  reduced  steadily,  yet  they  did 
not  cease  to  go  on,  although  the  pace  became  slower.  It 
was  like  a  wounded  beast  creeping  along  and  fighting 
with  tooth  and  claw,  while  the  hunters  swarmed  about 
him  in  numbers  always  increasing. 

Ouster  bore  diagonally  to  the  left,  going,  in  the 
main,  downstream,  but  a  fresh  force  was  now  thrown 
against  him.  The  great  body  of  warriors  who  had 
been  hidden  in  the  undergrowth  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Little  Big  Horn  crossed  the  stream  when  he  fell 
back  and  flung  themselves  upon  his  flank  and  front.  He 
was  compelled  now  to  stop,  although  he  had  not  gone 
more  than  four  hundred  yards,  and  Dick,  from  his  hill, 
saw  the  actions  of  the  troops. 

They  stood  there  for  perhaps  five  minutes  firing 
into  the  Sioux,  who  were  now  on  every  side.  They 
formed  a  kind  of  hollow  square  with  some  of  the  men 
in  the  center  holding  the  horses,  which  were  kicking 
and  struggling  and  adding  to  the  terrible  confusion. 
The  leader  with  the  yellow  hair  was  yet  alive.  Dick 
saw  him  plainly,  and  knew  by  his  gestures  that  he  was 
still  cheering  on  his  men, 

A  movement  now  took  place.  Dick  saw  the  white 
force  divide.  A  portion  of  it  deployed  in  a  circular 
manner  to  the  left,  and  the  remainder  turned  in  similar 
fashion  to  the  right,  although  they  did  not  lose  touch. 
The  square  was  now  turned  into  a  rude  circle  with  the 
horses  still  in  the  center.  They  stood  on  a  low  hill,  and 
so  far  as  Dick  could  see  they  would  not  try  to  go  any 
farther.  The  fire  of  the  defenders  had  sunk  somewhat, 
but  he  saw  the  men  rushing  to  the  horses  for  the  extra 

310 


THE    CIRCLE    OF    DEATH 

ammunition— that  was  why  they  hung  to  the  horses— 
and  then  the  fire  rose  again  in  intensity  and  volume. 

Confident  in  their  numbers  and  the  success  that  they 
had  already  won,  the  Sioux  pressed  forward  from  every 
side  in  overwhelming  masses.  All  the  great  chiefs  led 
them  —  Gall,  Crazy  Horse,  Young-Man- Afraid-of-His- 
Horses,  Grass,  and  the  others.  Bright  Sun  continually 
passed  like  a  flame,  inciting  the  hordes  to  renewed  at 
tacks,  while  the  redoubtable  Sitting  Bull  never  ceased 
to  make  triumphant  medicine.  But  it  was  Gall,  of  the 
magnificent  head  and  figure,  the  very  model  of  a  great 
savage  warrior,  who  led  at  the  battle  front.  Reckless 
of  death,  but  always  unwounded,  he  led  the  Sioux  up 
to  the  very  muzzles  of  the  white  rifles,  and  when  they 
were  driven  back  he  would  lead  them  up  again.  Dick 
had  heard  all  his  life  that  Indians  would  not  charge 
white  troops  in  the  open  field,  but  here  they  did  it,  not 
one  time,  but  many. 

Dick  believed  that  if  he  were  to  die  that  moment 
the  picture  of  that  terrible  scene  would  be  found  photo 
graphed  upon  his  eyeballs.  It  had  now  but  little  form 
or  feature  for  him.  All  he  could  see  was  the  ring  of 
his  own  blue-clad  people  in  the  center  and  everywhere 
around  them  the  howling  thousands,  men  mostly  naked 
to  the  breechclout,  their  bodies  wet  with  the  sweat  of 
their  toiling,  and  their  eyes  filled  with  the  fury  of  the 
savage  in  victorious  battle— details  that  he  could  not 
see,  although  they  were  there.  Alike  over  the  small 
circle  and  the  vast  one  inclosing  it  the  smoke  drifted 
in  great  clouds,  but  beneath  it  the  field  was  lit  up  by 
the  continuous  red  flash  of  the  rifles.  Dick  wondered 

311 


THE   LAST   OF   THE    CHIEFS 

that  anybody  could  live  where  so  many  bullets  were 
flying  in  the  air;  yet  there  was  Ouster's  force,  cut  down 
much  more,  but  the  core  of  it  still  alive  and  fighting, 
while  the  Sioux  were  so  numerous  that  they  did  not  miss 
their  own  warriors  who  had  fallen,  although  there  were 
many. 

The  unbroken  crash  of  the  rifle  fire  had  gone  on  so 
long  now  that  Dick  scarcely  noticed  it,  nor  did  he  heed 
the  great  howling  of  the  squaws  farther  up  the  stream. 
He  was  held  by  what  his  eyes  saw,  and  he  did  not  take 
them  from  the  field  for  an  instant.  He  saw  one  charge, 
a  second  and  third  hurled  back,  and  although  he  was 
not  conscious  of  it  he  shouted  aloud  in  joy. 

"  They'll  drive  them  off!  They'll  drive  them  off 
for  good !  "  he  exclaimed,  although  in  his  heart  he  never 
believed  it. 

The  wind  after  a  while  took  another  change,  and  the 
dense  clouds  of  smoke  hung  low  over  the  field,  hiding 
for  the  time  the  little  white  army  that  yet  fought.  Al 
though  Dick  could  see  nothing  now,  he  still  gazed  into 
the  heart  of  the  smoke  bank.  He  did  not  know  then  that 
a  second  battle  was  in  progress  on  the  other  side  of  the 
town.  Ouster  before  advancing  had  divided  his  force, 
giving  a  little  more  than  half  of  it  to  Reno,  who,  uncon 
scious  of  Ouster's  deadly  peril,  was  now  being  beaten 
off.  Dick  had  no  thought  for  anything  but  Ouster,  not 
even  of  his  own  fate.  Would  they  drive  the  Sioux 
away?  He  ran  his  tongue  over  his  parched  lips  and 
tugged  at  the  bonds  that  held  his  wrists. 

The  wind  rose  again  and  blew  the  smoke  to  one  side. 
The  battlefield  came  back  into  the  light,  and  Dick  saw 

312 


THE    CIKCLE    OF   DEATH 

that  the  white  force  still  fought.  But  many  of  the  men 
were  on  their  knees  now,  using  their  revolvers,  and  Dick 
feared  the  terrible  event  that  really  happened— their 
ammunition  was  giving  out,  and  the  savage  horde,  rim 
ming  them  on  all  sides,  was  very  near. 

He  did  not  know  how  long  the  battle  had  lasted,  but 
it  seemed  many  hours  to  him.  The  sun  was  far  down  in 
the  west,  gilding  the  plains  and  hills  with  tawny  gold, 
but  the  fire  and  smoke  of  conflict  filled  the  whole  valley 
of  the  Little  Big  Horn.  ' '  Perhaps  night  will  save  those 
who  yet  live,"  thought  Dick.  But  the  fire  of  the 
savages  rose.  Fresh  ammunition  was  brought  to  them, 
and  after  every  repulse  they  returned  to  the  attack, 
pressing  closer  at  every  renewal. 

Dick  saw  the  leader  at  the  edge  of  the  circle  almost 
facing  his  hiil.  His  hat  was  gone,  and  his  long  yellow 
hair  flew  wildly,  but  he  still  made  gestures  to  his  men 
and  bade  them  fight  on.  Then  Dick  lost  him  in  the  tur 
moil,  but  he  saw  some  of  the  horses  pull  loose  from  the 
detaining  hands,  burst  through  the  circle,  and  plunge 
among  the  Sioux. 

Now  came  a  pause  in  the  firing,  a  sudden  sinking, 
as  if  by  command,  and  the  smoke  thinned.  The  circle 
which  had  been  spouting  flame  on  every  side  also  grew 
silent  for  a  moment,  whether  because  the  enemy  had 
ceased  or  the  cartridges  were  all  gone  Dick  never  knew 
But  it  was  the  silence  of  only  an  instant.  Dick  saw  the 
tall  figure  of  Gall  upraise  a  hand.  There  was  a  tre 
mendous  shout,  a  burst  of  firing  greater  than  any  that 
had  gone  before,  and  the  whole  Sioux  horde  poured 
forward. 

313 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

The  warriors,  charging  in  irresistible  masses  from 
side  to  side,  met  in  the  center,  and  when  the  smoke 
lifted  from  the  last  great  struggle  Dick  saw  only  Sioux. 

Of  all  the  gallant  little  army  that  had  charged  into 
the  valley  not  a  soul  was  now  living,  save  a  Crow  Indian 
scout,  who,  when  all  was  lost,  let  down  his  hair  after  the 
fashion  of  a  Sioux,  and  escaped  in  the  turmoil  as  one  of 
their  own  people. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

A  HAPPY   MEETING 

WHEN  Dick  Howard  saw  that  the  raging  Sioux 
covered  the  field  and  that  the  little  army  was 
destroyed  wholly  he  could  bear  the  sight  no 
longer,  and,  reeling  back  against  the  tree,  closed  his  eyes. 
For  a  little  while,  even  with  eyes  shut,  he  still  beheld  the 
red  ruin,  and  then  darkness  came  over  him. 

He  never  knew  whether  he  really  fainted  or  whether 
it  was  merely  a  kind  of  stupor  brought  on  by  so  many 
hours  of  battle  and  fierce  excitement,  but  when  he 
opened  his  eyes  again  much  time  had  passed.  The  sun 
was  far  down  in  the  west  and  the  dusky  shadows  were 
advancing.  Over  the  low  hill  where  Ouster  had  made 
his  last  stand  the  Sioux  swarmed,  scalping  until  they 
could  scalp  no  more.  Behind  them  came  thousands  of 
women  and  boys,  shouting  from  excitement  and  the 
drunkenness  of  victory. 

It  was  all  incredible,  unreal  to  Dick,  some  hideous 
nightmare  that  would  soon  pass  away  when  he  awoke. 
Such  a  thing  as  this  could  not  be !  Yet  it  was  real,  it  was 
credible,  he  was  awake  and  he  had  seen  it— he  had  seen 
it  all  from  the  moment  that  the  first  trooper  appeared 
in  the  valley  until  the  last  fell  under  the  overwhelming 

315 


THE    LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

charge  of  the  Sioux.  He  still  heard,  in  the  waning 
afternoon,  their  joyous  cries  over  their  great  victory, 
and  he  saw  their  dusky  forms  as  they  rushed  here  and 
there  over  the  field  in  search  of  some  new  trophy. 

Dick  was  not  conscious  of  any  physical  feeling  at  all 
— neither  weariness,  nor  fear,  nor  thought  of  the  future. 
It  seemed  to  him  that  the  world  had  come  to  an  end  with 
the  ending  of  the  day. 

The  shadows  thickened  and  advanced.  The  west  was 
a  sea  of  dusk.  The  distant  lodges  of  the  village  passed 
out  of  sight.  The  battlefield  itself  became  dim  and  it 
was  only  phantom  figures  that  roamed  over  it.  All  the 
while  Dick  was  unnoticed,  forgotten  in  the  great  event, 
and  as  the  night  approached  the  desire  for  freedom 
returned  to  him.  He  was  again  a  physical  being,  feel 
ing  pain,  and  from  habit  rather  than  hope  he  pulled 
once  more  at  the  rawhide  cords  that  held  his  wrists — 
he  did  not  know  that  he  had  been  tugging  at  them 
nearly  all  the  afternoon. 

He  wrenched  hard  and  the  unbelievable  happened. 
The  rawhide,  strained  upon  so  long,  parted,  and  his 
hands  fell  to  his  side.  Dick  slowly  raised  his  right  wrist 
to  the  level  of  his  eyes  and  looked  at  it,  as  if  it  belonged 
to  another  man.  There  was  a  red  and  bleeding  ring 
around  it  where  the  rawhide  had  cut  deep,  making  a 
scar  that  took  a  year  in  the  fading,  but  his  numbed 
nerves  still  felt  no  pain. 

He  let  the  right  wrist  sink  back  and  raised  the  left 
one.  It  had  the  same  red  ring  around  it,  and  he  looked 
at  it  curiously,  wonderingly.  Then  he  let  the  left  also 
drop  to  his  side,  while  he  stood,  back  against  the  tree, 

316 


A   HAPPY   MEETING 

looking  vaguely  at  the  dim  figures  of  the  Sioux  who 
roamed  about  in  the  late  twilight  still  in  that  hideous 
search  for  trophies. 

It  was  while  he  was  looking  at  the  Sioux  that  an 
abrupt  thought  came  to  Dick.  Those  were  his  own 
wrists  at  which  he  had  been  looking.  His  hands  were 
free!  Why  not  escape  in  all  this  turmoil  and  excite 
ment,  with  the  friendly  and  covering  night  also  at  hand. 
It  was  like  the  touch  of  electricity.  He  was  instantly 
alive,  body  and  mind.  He  knew  who  he  was  and  what 
had  happened,  and  he  wanted  to  get  away.  Now  was 
the  time! 

The  rawhide  around  Dick's  waist  was  strong  and  it 
had  been  secured  with  many  knots.  He  picked  at  it 
slowly  and  with  great  care,  and  all  the  time  he  was  in 
fear  lest  the  Sioux  should  remember  him.  But  the  snn 
was  now  quite  down,  the  last  bars  of  red  and  gold  were 
gone,  and  the  east  as  well  as  the  west  was  in  darkness. 
The  field  of  battle  was  hidden  and  only  voices  came 
up  from  it.  Two  warriors  passed  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill  and  Dick,  ceasing  his  work,  shrank  against  the 
trunk  of  the  tree,  but  they  went  on,  and  when  they 
were  out  of  sight  he  began  again  to  pick  at  the  knots. 

One  knot  after  another  was  unloosed,  and  at  last 
the  rawhide  fell  from  his  waist.  He  was  free,  but  he 
staggered  as  he  walked  a  little  way  down  the  slope  of 
the  hill  and  his  fingers  were  numb.  Yet  his  mind  was 
wholly  clear.  It  had  recovered  from  the  great  paralytic 
shock  caused  by  the  sight  of  the  lost  battle,  and  he  in 
tended  to  take  every  precaution  needed  for  escape. 

He  sat  down  in  a  little  clump  of  bushes,  where  he 
317 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

was  quite  lost  to  view,  and  rubbed  his  limbs  long  and 
hard  until  the  circulation  was  active.  His  wrists  had 
stopped  bleeding,  and  he  bound  about  them  little  strips 
that  he  tore  from  his  clothing.  Then  he  threw  away  his 
cap — the  Sioux  did  not  wear  caps,  and  he  meant  to 
look  as  much  like  a  Sioux  as  he  could.  That  was  not 
such  a  difficult  matter,  as  he  was  dressed  in  tanned  skins, 
and  wind  and  weather  had  made  him  almost  as  brown 
as  an  Indian. 

Midway  of  the  slope  he  stopped  and  looked  down. 
The  night  had  come,  but  the  stars  were  not  yet  out. 
He  could  see  only  the  near  lodges,  but  many  torches 
flared  now  over  the  battle  field  and  in  the  village.  He 
started  again,  bearing  away  from  the  hill  on  which 
Ouster  had  fallen,  but  pursuing  a  course  that  led  chiefly 
downstream.  Often  he  saw  dusky  figures,  but  they 
took  no  notice  of  him.  Once  a  hideous  old  squaw,  carry 
ing  some  terrible  trophy  in  her  hand,  passed  near,  and 
Dick  thought  that  he  was  lost.  He  was  really  more 
afraid  at  this  time  of  the  sharp  eyes  of  the  old  squaws 
than  of  those  of  the  warriors.  But  she  passed  on,  and 
Dick  dropped  down  into  a  little  ravine  that  ran  from 
the  field.  His  feet  touched  a  tiny  stream  that  trickled 
at  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  and  he  leaped  away  in 
shuddering  horror.  The  soles  of  his  mocassins  were 
now  red. 

But  he  made  progress.  He  waa  leaving  the  village 
farther  behind,  and  the  hum  of  voices  was  not  so  loud. 
One  of  his  greatest  wishes  now  was  to  find  arms.  He 
did  not  intend  to  be  recaptured,  and  if  the  Sioux  came 
upon  him  he  wanted  at  least  to  make  a  fight. 

318 


A   HAPPY   MEETING 

A  dark  shape  among  some  short  bushes  attracted 
his  attention.  It  looked  like  the  form  of  a  man,  and 
when  he  went  closer  he  saw  that  it  was  the  body  of  a 
Sioux  warrior,  slain  by  a  distant  bullet  from  Ouster's 
circle.  His  carbine  lay  beside  him  and  he  wore  an  am 
munition  belt  full  of  cartridges.  Dick,  without  hesita 
tion,  took  both,  and  felt  immensely  strengthened.  The 
touch  of  the  rifle  gave  him  new  courage.  He  was  a  man 
now  ready  to  meet  men. 

He  reached  another  low  hill  and  stood  there  a  little 
while,  listening.  He  heard  an  occasional  whoop,  and 
many  lights  flared  here  and  there  in  the  village,  but 
no  warrior  was  near.  He  saw  on  one  side  of  him  the 
high  hill,  at  the  base  of  which  the  first  cavalrymen  had 
appeared,  and  around  which  the  army  had  ridden  a 
little  later  to  its  fate.  Dick  was  seized  with  a  sudden 
unreasoning  hatred  of  the  hill  itself,  standing  there 
black  and  lowering  in  the  darkness.  He  shook  his  fist 
at  it,  and  then,  ashamed  of  his  own  folly,  hurried  his 
flight. 

Everything  was  aiding  him  now.  If  any  chance  be 
fell,  that  chance  was  in  his  favor.  Swiftly  he  left 
behind  the  field  of  battle,  the  great  Indian  village,  and 
all  the  sights  and  sounds  of  that  fatal  day,  which  would 
remain  stamped  on  his  brain  as  long  as  he  lived.  He 
did  not  stop  until  he  was  beyond  the  hills  inclosing 
the  valley,  and  then  he  bent  back  again  toward  the  Little 
Big  Horn.  He  intended  to  cross  the  river  and  return 
toward  the  village  on  the  other  side,  having  some  dim 
idea  that  he  might  find  and  rescue  Albert. 

Dick  was  now  in  total  silence.  The  moon  and  the 
319 


THE    LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

stars  were  not  yet  out,  but  he  had  grown  used  to  the 
darkness  and  he  could  see  the  low  hills,  the  straggling 
trees,  and  the  clumps  of  undergrowth.  He  was  abso 
lutely  alone  again,  but  when  he  closed  his  eyes  he  saw 
once  more  with  all  the  vividness  of  reality  that  terrible 
battle  field,  the  closing  in  of  the  circle  of  death,  the  last 
great  rush  of  the  Sioux  horde,  and  the  blotting  out  of 
the  white  force.  He  still  heard  the  unbroken  crash  of 
the  rifle  fire  that  had  continued  for  hours,  and  the  yell 
ing  of  the  Sioux  that  rose  and  fell. 

But  when  he  opened  his  eyes  the  silence  became 
painful,  it  was  so  heavy  and  oppressive.  He  felt  lonely 
and  afraid,  more  afraid  than  he  had  ever  been  for  him 
self  while  the  battle  was  in  progress.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  he  was  pursued  by  the  ghosts  of  the  fallen,  and  he 
longed  for  the  company  of  his  own  race. 

Dick  was  not  conscious  of  hunger  or  fatigue.  His 
nerves  were  still  keyed  too  high  to  remember  such 
things,  and  now  he  turned  down  to  the  Little  Big  Horn. 
Remembering  the  terrible  quicksand,  he  tried  the  bank 
very  gingerly  before  he  stepped  into  the  water.  It  was 
sandy,  but  it  held  him,  and  then  he  waded  in  boldly, 
holding  his  rifle  and  belt  of  cartridges  above  his  head. 
He  knew  that  the  river  was  not  deep,  but  it  came  to 
hia  waist  here,  and  once  he  stepped  into  a  hole  to  his 
armpits,  but  he  kept  the  rifle  and  cartridges  dry. 
The  waters  were  extremely  cold,  but  Dick  did  not  know 
it,  and  when  he  reached  the  desired  shore  he  shook  him 
self  like  a  dog  until  the  drops  flew  and  then  began  the 
perilous  task  of  returning  to  the  village  on  the  side 
farthest  from  Ouster's  battle. 

320 


A   HAPPY   MEETING 

He  went  carefully  along  the  low,  wooded  shores, 
keeping  well  in  the  undergrowth,  which  was  dense,  and 
for  an  hour  he  heard  and  saw  nothing  of  the  Sioux. 
He  knew  why.  They  were  still  rejoicing  over  their 
great  victory,  and  although  he  knew  little  of  Indian 
customs  he  believed  that  the  scalp  dance  must  be  in 
progress. 

The  moon  and  stars  came  out.  A  dark-blue  sky, 
troubled  by  occasional  light  clouds,  bent  over  him.  He 
began  at  last  to  feel  the  effects  of  the  long  strain,  men 
tal  and  physical.  His  clothes  were  nearly  dry  on  him, 
but  for  the  first  time  he  felt  cold  and  weak.  He  went 
on,  nevertheless;  he  had  no  idea  of  stopping  even  if  he 
were  forced  to  crawl. 

He  reached  the  crest  of  a  low  hill  and  looked  down 
again  on  the  Indian  village,  but  from  a  point  far  from 
the  hill  on  which  he  had  stood  during  the  battle.  He 
saw  many  lights,  torches  and  camp  fires,  and  now  and 
then  dusky  figures  moving  against  the  background  of 
the  flames,  and  then  a  great  despair  overtook  him.  To 
rescue  Albert  would  be  in  itself  difficult  enough,  but 
how  was  he  ever  to  find  him  in  that  huge  village,  five 
miles  long  ? 

He  did  not  permit  his  despair  to  last  long.  He 
would  make  the  trial  in  some  manner,  how  he  did  not 
yet  know,  but  he  must  make  it.  He  descended  the  low 
hill  and  entered  a  clump  of  bushes  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  banks  of  the  Little  Big  Horn.  Here  he  stopped 
and  quickly  sank  down.  He  had  heard  a  rustling  at  the 
far  edge  of  the  clump,  and  he  was  sure,  too,  that  he  had 
seen  a  shadowy  figure.  The  figure  had  disappeared  in- 

321 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

stantly,  but  Dick  was  confident  that  a  Sioux  warrior 
was  hidden  in  the  bushes  not  ten  yards  away. 

It  was  his  first  impulse  to  retreat  as  silently  as  he 
could,  but  the  impulse  swiftly  gave  way  to  a  fierce 
anger.  He  remembered  that  he  carried  a  rifle  and 
plenty  of  cartridges,  and  he  was  seized  with  a  sudden 
vague  belief  that  he  might  strike  a  blow  in  revenge  for 
the  terrible  loss  of  the  day.  It  could  be  but  a  little 
blow,  he  could  strike  down  only  one,  but  he  was  resolved 
to  do  it — he  had  been  through  what  few  boys  are  ever 
compelled  to  see  and  endure,  and  his  mind  was  not  in 
its  normal  state. 

He  turned  himself  now  into  an  Indian,  crawling  and 
creeping  with  deadly  caution  through  the  bushes,  exer 
cising  an  infinite  patience  that  he  might  make  no  leaf 
or  twig  rustle,  and  now  and  then  looking  carefully  over 
the  tops  of  the  bushes  to  see  that  his  enemy  had  not  fled. 
As  he  advanced  he  held  his  rifle  well  forward,  that  he 
might  take  instant  aim  and  fire  when  the  time  came. 

Dick  was  a  full  ten  minutes  in  traveling  ten  yards, 
and  then  he  saw  the  dark  figure  of  the  warrior  crouched 
low  in  the  bushes.  The  Sioux  had  not  seen  him  and  was 
watching  for  his  approach  from  some  other  point.  The 
figure  was  dim,  but  Dick  slowly  raised  his  rifle  and  took 
careful  aim  at  the  head.  His  finger  reached  the  trigger, 
but  when  it  got  there  it  refused  to  obey  his  will.  He 
was  not  a  savage ;  he  was  white,  with  the  civilized  blood 
of  many  generations,  and  he  could  not  shoot  down  an 
enemy  whose  back  was  turned  to  him.  But  he  main 
tained  his  aim,  and  using  some  old  expression  that  he 
had  heard  he  cried,  ' '  Throw  up  your  hands !  ' ' 

322 


A   HAPPY   MEETING 

The  crouching  figure  sprang  to  its  feet,  and  a  remem 
bered  voice  exclaimed  in  overwhelming  surprise  and  de 
light: 

' '  Dick !    Dick !    Is  that  you,  Dick  ?  ' ' 

Dick  dropped  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle  and  stared.  He 
could  not  take  it  in  for  the  moment.  It  was  Albert — a 
ragged,  dirty,  pale,  and  tired  Albert,  but  a  real  live 
Albert  just  the  same. 

The  brothers  stared  at  each  other  by  the  same  im 
pulse,  and  then  by  the  same  impulse  rushed  forward, 
grasped  each  other 's  hands,  wringing  them  and  shout 
ing  aloud  for  joy. 

"  Is  it  you,  Al?  How  on  earth  did  you  ever  get 
here?  " 

"Is  it  you,  Dick?  Where  on  earth  did  you  come 
from?  " 

They  sat  down  in  the  bushes,  both  still  trembling 
with  excitement  and  the  relief  from  suspense,  and  Dick 
told  of  the  fatal  day,  how  he  had  been  bound  to  the 
tree  on  the  hill,  and  how  he  had  seen  all  the  battle,  from 
its  beginning  to  the  end,  when  no  white  soldier  was  left 
alive. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  they  were  all  killed,  Dick?  " 
asked  Albert  in  awed  tones. 

"  Every  one/'  replied  Dick.  "  There  was  a  ring  of 
fire  and  steel  around  them  through  which  no  man  could 
break.  But  they  were  brave,  Al,  they  were  brave! 
They  beat  off  the  thousands  of  that  awful  horde  for 
hours  and  hours." 

"  Who  led  them?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  I  had  no  way  of  knowing,  but  it 
323 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

was  a  gallant  man  with  long  yellow  hair.  I  saw  him 
with  his  hat  off,  waving  it  to  encourage  his  men.  Now 
tell  me,  Al,  how  you  got  here. ' ' 

"  When  they  seized  us/'  replied  Albert,  "  they  car 
ried  me,  kicking  and  fighting  as  best  I  could,  up  the 
river.  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I'd  never  see  you 
again,  Dick,  as  I  was  sure  that  they'd  kill  you  right 
away.  I  expected  them  to  finish  me  up,  too,  soon,  but 
they  didn't.  I  suppose  it  was  because  they  were  busy 
with  bigger  things. 

' f  They  pushed  me  along  for  at  least  two  miles.  Then 
they  crossed  the  river,  shoved  me  into  a  bark  lodge,  and 
fastened  the  door  on  me.  They  didn't  take  the  trouble 
to  bind  me,  feeling  sure,  I  suppose,  that  I  couldn't  get 
out  of  the  lodge  and  the  village,  too;  and  I  certainly 
wouldn't  have  had  any  chance  to  do  it  if  a  battle  hadn't 
begun  after  I  had  been  there  a  long  time  in  the  darkness 
of  the  lodge.  I  thought  at  first  that  it  was  the  Sioux 
firing  at  targets,  but  then  it  became  too  heavy  and  there 
was  too  much  shouting. 

"  The  firing  went  on  a  long  time,  and  I  pulled  and 
kicked  for  an  hour  at  the  lodge  door.  Because  no  one 
came,  no  matter  how  much  noise  I  made,  I  knew  that 
something  big  was  going  on,  and  I  worked  all  the 
harder.  When  I  looked  out  at  last,  I  saw  many  warriors 
running  up  and  down  and  great  clouds  of  smoke.  I 
sneaked  out,  got  into  a  smoke  bank  just  as  a  Sioux  shot 
at  me,  lay  down  in  a  little  ravine,  after  a  while  jumped 
up  and  ran  again  through  the  smoke,  and  reached  the 
bushes,  where  I  lay  hidden  flat  on  my  face  until  the 
night  came.  While  I  was  there  I  heard  the  firing  die 

324 


A   HAPPY   MEETING 

down  and  saw  our  men  driven  off  after  being  cut  up 
badly/' 

"  It's  awful!  awful!  "  groaned  Dick.  "  I  didn't 
know  there  were  so  many  Sioux  in  the  world,  and  maybe 
our  generals  didn't,  either.  That  must  have  been  the 
trouble." 

"  When  the  darkness  set  in  good,"  resumed  Albert. 
"  I  started  to  run.  I  knew  that  no  Sioux  were  bother 
ing  about  me  then,  but  I  tell  you  I  made  tracks,  Dick. 
I  had  no  arms,  and  I  didn't  know  where  I  was  going; 
but  I  meant  to  leave  those  Sioux  some  good  miles  be 
hind.  After  a  while  I  got  back  part  of  my  courage,  and 
then  I  came  back  here  to  look  around  for  you,  thinking 
you  might  have  just  such  a  chance  as  I  did." 

"  Brave  old  Al,"  said  Dick. 

"  You  came,  too." 

"  I  was  armed  and  you  were  not." 

"  It  comes  to  the  same  thing,  and  you  did  have  the 
chance. ' ' 

"  Yes,  and  we're  together  again.  We've  been  saved 
once  more,  Al,  when  the  others  have  fallen.  Now  the 
thing  for  us  to  do  is  to  get  away  from  here  as  fast  as  we 
can.  Which  way  do  you  think  those  troops  on  your 
side  of  the  village  retreated?  " 

Albert  extended  his  finger  toward  a  point  on  the 
dusky  horizon. 

"  Off  there  somewhere,"  he  replied. 

"  Then  we'll  follow  them.    Come  on." 

The  two  left  the  bushes  and  entered  the  hill*. 


CHAPTER   XX 

BRIGHT   SUN'S   GOOD-BY 

DICK  and  Albert  had  not  gone  far  before  they 
saw  lights  on  the  bluffs  of  the  Little  Big  Horn. 
Dick  had  uncommonly  keen  eyes,  and  when  he 
saw  a  figure  pass  between  him  and  the  firelight  he  was 
confident  that  it  was  not  that  of  a  Sioux.  The  clothing 
was  too  much  like  a  trooper's. 

"  Stop,  Al,"  he  said,  putting  his  hand  on  his  broth 
er's  shoulder.  "  I  believe  some  of  our  soldiers  are 
here." 

The  two  crept  as  near  as  they  dared  and  watched 
until  they  saw  another  figure  pause  momentarily  against 
the  background  of  the  firelight. 

"It's  a  trooper,  sure,"  said  Dick,  "  and  we've 
come  to  our  own  people  at  last.  Come,  Al,  we'll  join 
them." 

They  started  forward  on  a  run.  There  was  a  flash 
of  flame,  a  report,  and  a  bullet  whistled  between  them. 

"We're  friends,  not  Sioux!"  shouted  Dick. 
"  We're  escaping  from  the  savages!  Don't  fire!  '! 

They  ran  forward  again,  coming  boldly  into  the 
light,  and  no  more  shots  were  fired  at  them.  They  ran 
up  the  slope  to  the  crest  of  the  bluff,  leaped  over  a  fresh 

326 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

earthwork,  and  fell  among  a  crowd  of  soldiers  in  blue. 
Dick  quickly  raised  himself  to  his  feet,  and  saw  soldiers 
about  him,  many  of  them  wounded,  all  of  them  weary 
and  drawn.  Others  were  hard  at  work  with  pick  and 
spade,  and  from  a  distant  point  of  the  earthwork  came 
the  sharp  report  of  rifle  shots. 

These  were  the  first  white  men  that  Dick  and  Albert 
had  seen  in  nearly  two  years,  and  their  hearts  rose  in 
their  throats. 

"  Who  are  you?  "  asked  a  lieutenant,  holding  up  a 
lantern  and  looking  curiously  at  the  two  bare-headed, 
brown,  and  half-wild  youths  who  stood  before  him 
in  their  rough  attire  of  tanned  skins.  They  might 
readily  have  passed  in  the  darkness  for  young  Sioux 
warriors. 

1(1  I  am  Dick  Howard, "  replied  Dick,  standing  up  as 
straight  as  his  weakness  would  let  him,  ' '  and  this  is  my 
brother  Albert.  We  were  with  an  emigrant  train,  all 
the  rest  of  which  was  massacred  two  years  ago  by  the 
Sioux.  Since  then  we  have  been  in  the  mountains,  hunt 
ing  and  trapping. " 

The  lieutenant  looked  at  him  suspiciously.  Dick  still 
stood  erect  and  returned  his  gaze,  but  Albert,  overpow 
ered  by  fatigue,  was  leaning  against  the  earthwork.  A 
half  dozen  soldiers  stood  near,  watching  them  curi 
ously.  From  the  woods  toward  the  river  came  the 
sound  of  more  rifle  shots. 

"  Where  have  you  come  from  to-night?  And 
how?  "  asked  the  lieutenant  sharply. 

"  We  escaped  from  the  Sioux  village,"  replied  Dick. 
"  I  was  in  one  part  of  it  and  my  brother  in  another. 

327 


THE   LAST   OF    THE    CHIEFS 

We  met  by  chance  or  luck  in  the  night,  but  in  the  after 
noon  I  saw  all  the  battle  in  which  the  army  was  de 
stroyed.  ' ' 

"  Army  destroyed!  What  do  you  mean?  "  ex 
claimed  the  officer.  "  We  were  repulsed,  but  we  are 
here.  We  are  not  destroyed/' 

The  suspicion  in  his  look  deepened,  but  Dick  met 
him  with  unwavering  eye. 

"  It  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  town,"  he  replied. 
"  Another  army  was  there.  It  was  surrounded  by  thou 
sands  of  the  Sioux,  but  it  perished  to  the  last  man.  I 
saw  them  gallop  into  the  valley,  led  by  a  general  with 
long  yellow  hair." 

"  Ouster!  "  exclaimed  some  one,  and  a  deep  groan 
came  from  the  men  in  the  dusk. 

"  What  nonsense  is  this!  "  exclaimed  the  officer. 
"  Do  you  dare  tell  me  that  Ouster  and  his  entire  com 
mand  have  perished?  " 

Dink  felt  his  resentment  rising. 

"  I  tell  you  only  the  truth/'  he  said.  "  There  was 
a  great,  battle,  and  our  troops,  led  by  a  general  with  long 
yellow  hair,  perished  utterly.  The  last  one  of  them  is 
dead.  I  saw  it  all  with  my  own  eyes.  * ' 

Again  that  deep  groan  came  from  the  men  in  the 
dusk. 

"  I  can't  believe  it!  "  exclaimed  the  lieutenant. 
"  Ouster  and  his  whole  force  dead!  Where  were  you? 
How  did  you  see  all  this?  " 

"  The  Sioux  had  tied  me  to  a  tree  in  order  that  the 
Indian  boys  might  amuse  themselves  by  grazing  me  with 
arrows— my  brother  and  I  had  been  captured  when  we 

328 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

were  on  the  plains— but  they  were  interrupted  by  the 
appearance  of  troops  in  the  valley.  Then  the  battle  be 
gan.  It  lasted  a  long  time,  and  I  was  forgotten.  About 
twilight  I  managed  to  break  loose,  and  I  escaped  by 
hiding  in  the  undergrowth.  My  brother,  who  was  on 
the  other  side  of  the  town,  escaped  in  much  the  same 
way." 

"  Sounds  improbable,  very  improbable!  "  muttered 
the  lieutenant. 

Suddenly  an  old  sergeant,  who  had  been  standing 
near,  listening  attentively,  exclaimed: 

11  Look  at  the  boy's  wrists,  lieutenant!  They've  got 
just  the  marks  that  an  Indian  rawhide  would  make !  ' } 

Dick  impulsively  held  up  his  wrists,  from  which  the 
bandages  had  fallen  without  his  notice.  A  deep  red 
ring  encircled  each,  and  it  was  obvious  from  their  faces 
that  others  believed,  even  if  the  lieutenant  did  not.  But 
he,  too,  dropped  at  least  a  part  of  his  disbelief. 

"  I  cannot  deny  your  story  of  being  captives  among 
the  Sioux,"  he  said,  "  because  you  are  white  and  the 
look  of  your  eyes  is  honest.  But  you  must  be  mistaken 
about  Ouster.  They  cannot  all  have  fallen ;  it  was  your 
excitement  that  made  you  think  it." 

Dick  did  not  insist.  He  was  the  bearer  of  bad  news, 
but  he  would  not  seek  to  make  others  believe  it  if  they 
did  not  wish  to  do  so.  The  dreadful  confirmation  would 
come  soon  enough. 

"  Take  them  away,  Williams,"  said  the  lieutenant 
to  the  sergeant,  "  and  give  them  food  and  drink.  They 
look  as  if  they  needed  it." 

The  sergeant  was  kindly,  and  he  asked  Dick  and  Al- 
329 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

bert  many  questions  as  lie  led  them  to  a  point  farther 
back  on  the  bluff  beyond  the  rifle  shots  of  the  Sioux, 
who  were  now  firing  heavily  in  the  darkness  upon 
Reno's  command,  the  troops  driven  off  from  the  far  side 
of  the  town,  and  the  commands  of  Benteen  and  McDou- 
gall,  which  had  formed  a  junction  with  Reno.  It  was 
evident  that  he  believed  all  Dick  told  him,  and  his  eyes 
became  heavy  with  sorrow. 

"  Poor  lads!  "  he  murmured.  "  And  so  many  of 
them  gone!  " 

He  took  them  to  a  fire,  and  here  both  of  them  col 
lapsed  completely.  But  with  stimulants,  good  food,  and 
water  they  recovered  in  an  hour,  and  then  Dick  was 
asked  to  tell  again  what  he  had  seen  to  the  chief  officers. 
They  listened  attentively,  but  Dick  knew  that  they,  too, 
went  away  incredulous. 

Throughout  the  talk  Dick  and  Albert  heard  the 
sound  of  pick  and  spade  as  the  men  continued  to  throw 
up  the  earthworks,  and  there  was  an  incessant  patter 
of  rifle  fire  as  the  Sioux  crept  forward  in  the  darkness, 
firing  from  every  tree,  or  rock,  or  hillock,  and  keeping 
up  a  frightful  yelling,  half  of  menace  and  half  of  tri 
umph.  But  their  bullets  whistled  mostly  overhead,  and 
once,  when  they  made  a  great  rush,  they  were  quickly 
driven  back  with  great  loss.  Troops  on  a  bluff  behind 
earthworks  were  a  hard  nut  even  for  an  overwhelming 
force  to  crack. 

Dick  and  Albert  fell  asleep  on  the  ground  from  sheer 
exhaustion,  but  Dick  did  not  sleep  long.  He  was  awak 
ened  by  a  fresh  burst  of  firing,  and  saw  that  it  was 
gtill  dark.  He  did  not  sleep  again  that  night,  although 

330 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

Albert  failed  to  awake,  and,  asking  for  a  rifle,  bore  a 
part  in  the  defense. 

The  troops,  having  made  a  forced  march  with  scant 
supplies,  suffered  greatly  from  thirst,  but  volunteers, 
taking  buckets,  slipped  down  to  the  river,  at  the  immi 
nent  risk  of  torture  and  death,  and  brought  them  back 
filled  for  their  comrades.  It  was  done  more  than  a 
dozen  times,  and  Dick  himself  was  one  of  the  heroes, 
which  pleased  Sergeant  Williams  greatly. 

"  You're  the  right  stuff,  my  boy,"  he  said,  clapping 
him  on  the  shoulder,  "  though  you  ought  to  be  asleep 
and  resting." 

"  I  couldn't  sleep  long,"  replied  Dick.  "  I  think 
my  nerves  have  been  upset  so  much  that  I  won't  feel 
just  right  again  for  months." 

Nevertheless  he  bore  a  valiant  part  in  the  defense, 
besides  risking  his  life  to  obtain  the  water,  and  won 
high  praise  from  many  besides  his  stanch  friend,  Ser 
geant  Williams.  It  was  well  that  the  troops  had  thrown 
up  the  earthwork,  as  the  Sioux,  flushed  with  their  great 
victory  in  the  afternoon,  hung  on  the  flanks  of  the 
bluffs  and  kept  up  a  continuous  rifle  fire.  There  was 
light  enough  for  sharpshooting,  and  more  than  one  sol 
dier  who  incautiously  raised  his  head  above  the  earth 
work  was  slain. 

Toward  morning  the  Sioux  made  another  great  rush. 
There  had  been  a  lull  in  the  firing  just  when  the  night 
was  darker  than  usual  and  many  little  black  clouds 
were  floating  up  from  the  southwest.  Dick  was  op 
pressed  by  the  silence.  He  remembered  the  phases  of 
the  battle  in  the  afternoon,  and  he  felt  that  it  portended 

331 


THE   LAST    OF    THE    CHIEFS 

some  great  effort  by  the  Sioux.  He  peeped  carefully 
over  the  earthwork  and  studied  the  trees,  bushes,  and 
hillocks  below.  He  saw  nothing  there,  but  it  seemed  to 
him  that  he  could  actually  feel  tne  presence  of  the 
Sioux. 

"  Look  out  for  'em/'  he  said  to  Sergeant  Williams. 
"  I  think  they're  going  to  make  a  rush." 

' '  I  think  it,  too, ' '  replied  the  veteran.  "  I  've  learnt 
something  of  their  cunnin'  since  I've  been  out  here  on 
the  plains. ' ' 

Five  minutes  later  the  Sioux  sprang  from  their  am 
bush  and  rushed  forward,  hoping  to  surprise  enemies 
who  had  grown  careless.  But  they  were  met  by  a  with 
ering  fire  that  drove  them  headlong  to  cover  again.  Nev 
ertheless  they  kept  up  the  siege  throughout  all  the  fol 
lowing  day  and  night,  firing  incessantly  from  ambush, 
and  at  times  giving  forth  whoops  full  of  taunt  and 
menace.  Dick  was  able  to  sleep  a  little  during  the  day, 
and  gradually  his  nerves  became  more  steady.  Albert 
also  took  a  part  in  the  defense,  and,  like  Dick,  he  won 
many  friends. 

The  day  was  a  long  and  heavy  one.  The  fortified 
camp  was  filled  with  the  gloomiest  apprehensions.  The 
officers  still  refused  to  believe  all  of  Dick's  story,  that 
Ouster  and  every  man  of  his  command  had  perished  at 
the  hands  of  the  Sioux.  They  were  yet  hopeful  that  his 
eyes  had  deceived  him,  a  thing  which  could  happen 
amid  so  much  fire,  and  smoke,  and  excitement,  and  that 
only  a  part  of  Ouster's  force  had  fallen.  Yet  neither 
Ouster  nor  any  of  his  men  returned;  there  was  no 
sign  of  them  anywhere,  and  below  the  bluffs  the 

332 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

Sioux  gave  forth  taunting  shouts  and  flaunted  terrible 
trophies. 

Dick  and  Albert  sat  together  about  twilight  before 
one  of  the  camp  fires,  and  Dick's  face  showed  that  he 
shared  the  gloom  of  those  around  him. 

11  What  are  you  expecting,  Dick?  "  asked  Albert, 
who  read  his  countenance. 

"  Nothing  in  particular,"  replied  Dick;  "  but  I'm 
hoping  that  help  will  come  soon.  I've  heard  from  the 
men  that  General  Gibbon  is  out  on  the  plain  with  a 
strong  force,  and  we  need  him  bad.  We're  short  of 
both  water  and  food,  and  we  '11  soon  be  short  of  ammuni 
tion.  Ouster  fell,  I  think,  because  his  ammunition  gave 
out,  and  if  ours  gives  out  the  same  thing  will  happen 
to  us.  It's  no  use  trying  to  conceal  it." 

11  Then  we'll  pray  for  Gibbon,"  said  Albert. 

The  second  night  passed  like  the  first,  to  the  accom 
paniment  of  shouts  and  shots,  the  incessant  sharpshoot- 
ing  of  the  Sioux,  and  an  occasional  rush  that  was  always 
driven  back.  But  it  was  terribly  exhausting.  The  men 
were  growing  irritable  and  nervous  under  such  a  siege, 
and  the  anxiety  in  the  camp  increased. 

Dick,  after  a  good  sleep,  was  up  early  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  second  day,  and,  like  others,  he  looked  out 
over  the  plain  in  the  hope  that  he  might  see  Gibbon 
coming.  He  looked  all  around  the  circle  of  the  horizon 
1  and  saw  only  distant  lodges  in  the  valley  and  Sioux 
•warriors.  But  Dick  had  uncommonly  good  ears,  trained 
further  by  two  years  of  wild  life,  and  he  heard  some 
thing,  a  new  note  in  the  common  life  of  the  morning. 
He  listened  with  the  utmost  attention,  and  heard  it 

333 


THE    LAST    OF   THE    CHIEFS 

again.  He  had  heard  the  same  sound  on  the  ter 
rible  day  when  Ouster  galloped  into  the  valley — the 
mellow,  pealing  note  of  a  trumpet,  but  now  very  faint 
and  far. 

"  They're  coming!  "  he  said  to  Sergeant  Williams 
joyfully.  "  I  hear  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  out  on  the 
plain!  " 

"  I  don't,"  said  the  sergeant.  u  It's  your  hopes 
that  are  deceivin'  you.  No,  by  Jove,  I  think  I  do  hear  it ! 
Yes,  there  it  is!  They're  comin'!  They're  comin'!  " 

The  whole  camp  burst  into  a  joyous  cheer,  and  al 
though  they  did  not  hear  the  trumpet  again  for  some 
time,  the  belief  that  help  was  at  hand  became  a  cer 
tainty  when  they  saw  hurried  movements  among  the 
Sioux  in  the  valley  and  the  sudden  upspringing  of 
flames  at  many  points. 

11  They're  goin'  to  retreat,"  said  the  veteran  Ser 
geant  "Williams,  "an'  they're  burnin'  their  village  be 
hind  'em." 

A  little  later  the  army  of  Gibbon,  with  infantry  and 
artillery,  showed  over  the  plain,  and  was  welcomed  with 
cheers  that  came  from  the  heart.  Uniting  with  the  com 
mands  on  the  fortified  bluff,  Gibbon  now  had  a  powerful 
force,  and  he  advanced  cautiously  into  the  valley  of  the 
Little  Big  Horn  and  directly  upon  the  Indian  village. 
But  the  Sioux  were  gone  northward,  taking  with  them 
their  arms,  ammunition,  and  all  movable  equipment,  and 
the  lodges  that  they  left  behind  were  burning. 

Dick  led  the  force  to  the  field  of  battle,  and  all  his 
terrible  story  was  confirmed.  There  the  hundreds  of 
brave  men,  Ouster  and  every  one  of  his  officers  among 

334 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

them,  lay,  most  of  them  mutilated,  but  all  with  their 
backs  to  the  earth. 

The  army  spent  the  day  burying  the  dead,  and  then 
began  the  pursuit  of  the  Sioux.  Dick  and  Albert  went 
with  them,  fighting  as  scouts  and  skirmishers.  They 
Were  willing,  for  the  present,  to  let  their  furs  remain 
hidden  in  their  lost  valley  until  they  could  gain  a  more 
definite  idea  of  its  location,  and  until  the  dangerous 
Sioux  were  driven  far  to  the  northward. 

As  the  armies  grew  larger  the  Sioux  forces,  despite 
the  skill  and  courage  of  their  leaders,  were  continually 
beaten.  Their  great  victory  on  the  Little  Big  Horn 
availed  them  nothing.  It  became  evident  that  the  last 
of  the  chiefs— and  to  Dick  and  Albert  this  was  Bright 
Sun— had  made  the  last  stand  for  his  race,  and  had 
failed. 

"  They  were  doomed  the  day  the  first  white  man 
landed  in  America, ' '  said  Dick  to  Albert,  '  *  and  nothing 
could  save  them/' 

"  I  suppose  it's  so,"  said  Albert;  "  but  I  feel  sorry 
for  Bright  Sun,  all  the  same." 

"  So  do  I,  "said  Dick. 

The  Sioux  were  finally  crowded  against  the  Cana 
dian  line,  and  Sitting  Bull  and  most  of  the  warriors 
fled  across  it  for  safety.  But  just  before  the  crossing 
Dick  and  Albert  bore  a  gallant  part  in  a  severe  skir 
mish  that  began  before  daylight.  A  small  Sioux  band, 
fighting  in  a  forest  with  great  courage  and  tenacity, 
was  gradually  driven  back  by  dismounted  white  troop 
ers.  Dick,  a  skirmisher  on  the  right  flank,  became  sepa 
rated  from  his  eomrades  during  the  fighting.  He  was 

335 


THE    LAST    OP    THE    CHIEFS 

aware  that  the  Sioux  had  been  defeated,  but,  like  the 
others,  he  followed  in  eager  pursuit,  wishing  to  drive  the 
blow  home. 

Dick  lost  sight  of  both  troopers  and  Sioux,  but  he  be 
came  aware  of  a  figure  in  the  undergrowth  ahead  of 
him,  and  he  stalked  it.  The  warrior,  for  such  he  was  sure 
the  man  to  be,  was  unable  to  continue  his  flight  without 
entering  an  open  space  where  he  would  be  exposed  to 
Dick's  bullet,  and  he  stayed  to  meet  his  antagonist. 

There  was  much  delicate  maneuvering  of  the  kind 
that  must  occur  when  lives  are  known  to  be  at  stake,  but 
at  last  the  two  came  within  reach  of  each  other.  The 
Sioux  fired  first  and  missed,  and  then  Dick  held  his 
enemy  at  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle.  He  was  about  to  fire 
in  his  turn,  when  he  saw  that  it  was  Bright  Sun. 

The  chief,  worn  and  depressed,  recognized  Dick  at 
the  same  moment. 

"  Fire,"  he  said.  "  I  have  lost,  and  I  might  as  well 
die  by  your  hand  as  another." 

Dick  lowered  his  weapon. 

"  I  can't  do  it,  Bright  Sun,"  he  said.  "  My  brother 
and  I  owe  you  our  lives,  and  I've  got  to  give  you  yours. 
Good-by." 

"  But  I  am  an  Indian,"  said  Bright  Sun.    "  I  will 
never  surrender  to  your  people." 
"  It  is  for  you  to  say, ' '  replied  Dick. 

Bright  Sun  waved  his  hand  in  a  grave  and  sad  fare 
well  salute  and  went  northward.  Dick  heard  from  a 
trapper  some  time  later  of  a  small  band  of  Sioux 
Indians  far  up  near  the  Great  Slave  Lake,  led  by  a 
chief  of  uncommon  qualities.  He  was  sure,  from  the 

336 


BRIGHT    SUN'S    GOOD-BY 

description  of  this  chief  given  by  the  trapper,  that  it 
was  Bright  Sun. 

Their  part  in  the  war  ended,  Dick  and  Albert  took 
for  their  pay  a  number  of  captured  Indian  ponies,  and 
turning  southward  found  the  old  trail  of  the  train  that 
had  been  slaughtered.  Then,  with  the  ponies,  they  en 
tered  their  beloved  valley  again. 

No  one  had  come  in  their  absence.  Castle  Howard, 
the  Annex,  the  Suburban  Villa,  the  Cliff  House,  and  all 
their  treasures  were  undisturbed.  They  carried  their 
furs  to  Helena,  in  Montana,  where  the  entire  lot  was 
sold  for  thirty- two  thousand  dollars— a  great  sum  for 
two  youths. 

"  Now  what  shall  we  do?  "  said  Albert  when  the 
money  was  paid  to  them. 

"  I  vote  we  buy  United  States  Government  bonds/' 
replied  Dick,  "  register  'em  in  our  names,  and  go  back 
vO  the  valley  to  hunt  and  trap.  Of  course  people  will 
find  it  after  a  while,  but  we  may  get  another  lot  of  fine 
furs  before  anyone  comes.'1 

"  Just  what  I'd  have  proposed  myself,"  said  Albert. 

They  started  the  next  day  on  their  ponies,  with  the 
pack  ponies  following,  and  reached  their  destination  in 
due  time.  It  was  just  about  sunset  when  they  descended 
the  last  slope  and  once  more  beheld  their  valley,  stretch 
ing  before  them  in  all  its  beauty  and  splendor,  still  un 
trodden  by  any  human  footsteps  save  their  own. 

* '  What  a  fine  place !  ' '  exclaimed  Albert. 

"  The  finest  in  the  world!  "  said  Dick. 

(17) 
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